February 19, 2026
Dave DeCamp
In a speech at the meeting, Trump referenced his June 2025 attack on Iran, which targeted the country’s nuclear facilities. “Now, we may have to take it a step further — or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next, probably 10 days,” he said.
Trump also said that Iran “must make a deal. If that doesn’t happen… bad things will happen.”
The US president convened the “Board of Peace” while overseeing what The Wall Street Journal has described as the largest gathering of US airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The US has sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and deployed dozens of additional fighter jets there in recent days.
While Trump claims Iran has the opportunity to “make a deal” with the US, it’s unclear what sort of agreement he would accept, and his administration hasn’t made a coherent case for why it needs to attack the country.
In his remarks on Thursday, Trump said Iran cannot have a “nuclear weapon,” but for months, he insisted the US airstrikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, and there’s no sign Tehran is even capable of enriching uranium at the moment. According to The New York Times, Iran has suggested it’s willing to suspend nuclear enrichment for three to five years, and then enter a regional consortium to enrich civilian-grade uranium, an arrangement that would give Tehran no path to a nuclear weapon.
The US’s real goal with Iran is likely either regime change or removing Iran’s ability to strike Israel. Israeli officials have demanded that any deal must include restrictions on Iran’s missiles, a condition Tehran would never accept since its missiles are its only form of deterrence and way to launch counterattacks if it’s bombed by the US or Israel.
February 18, 2026
The resolution was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Khanna, and several other Democrats back in June 2025 amid the 12-day US-Israeli war against Iran, but a ceasefire was reached before a vote was held. Massie was the original sponsor, and the legislation currently has 77 co-sponsors, all Democrats.
Americans can contact their House representative and urge them to support H.Con.Res.38 to prevent a disastrous war with Iran, which appears imminent amid the major US military buildup in the region.
“Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna wrote on X. “[Massie] & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting US troops in harm’s way. I will make a motion to discharge to force a vote on it next week.”
The California congressman said that he supported diplomatic efforts with Iran but that if “Trump is preparing to bomb Iran soon & others call for troops on the ground, Congress must get on the record so Americans know where their representatives stand.”
“Like the votes before the Iraq war, this could be one of the most consequential votes in the history of Congress. Are we going to stop another endless dumb foreign war? Or will the neoconservatives mislead us once again?” he added.
Multiple media reports have said that a US attack on Iran could happen in the coming days or weeks, and all signs indicate it could trigger a much bigger conflict than the 12-Day War, and that Iran wouldn’t hold back in its response. Tens of thousands of US military personnel in the Middle East are in range of Iranian missiles.
“A war with Iran would be catastrophic. Iran is a complex society of 90 million people with significant air defenses and military capabilities,” Khanna said. “We also have 30-40k US troops in the region who could be at risk of retaliation. Congress must do its job and stop this march to war.”
Sources told Ravid that the potential US attack on Iran would likely be a massive multi-week operation, much bigger than the US operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. They said it would also be much broader in scope than the 12-day US-Israeli war on Iran that was launched in June 2025. Reuters also recently reported that the US was preparing for a sustained, multi-week attack on Iran.
Israeli officials said that the Israeli government, which is pushing for the US to pursue regime change in Iran, is preparing for the possibility of the attack starting in the coming days, and CNN later reported that the US military is ready to start the war as soon as this weekend. Other sources put the timeline a little later, saying the war would likely start in a few weeks.
“The boss is getting fed up,” a Trump adviser told Ravid. “Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks.”
The Axios report noted that there has been little public debate about the potential war amid the major US military buildup and said that Americans will likely be surprised by the scale of the coming attack.
All signs indicate that if the US bombs Iran, Tehran will not hold back in its response and could target multiple US bases and warships in the region, leaving open the possibility that the war could result in hundreds or thousands of US casualties. The conflict could also have a major impact on the global economy, as Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 31% of seaborne crude oil shipments passed in 2025.
The US and Iran held talks on Tuesday, and while the Iranian side said there was a “clear path” toward a deal, US Vice President JD Vance said that Iran was not acknowledging President Trump’s “red lines.”
Vance claimed the main US demand was that Iran must not pursue a nuclear weapon, but for many months, the administration had insisted the June 2025 US strikes on Iran “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, and there’s no sign Tehran can enrich uranium at the moment. Iran has also made clear it’s willing to enter a deal that would involve a commitment to low enrichment levels, and Iranian officials maintain they don’t seek a nuclear bomb.
The real goal of any US attack on Iran will likely be regime change or taking out Iran’s ability to fire missiles at Israel. President Trump said back in December, when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-lago resort in Florida, that he would support another Israeli attack on Iran if the Islamic Republic “continued” its missile program.
Leavitt made the comments when asked why a potential attack on Iran was necessary after President Trump insisted for months that the US airstrikes launched against Iran during the 12-Day War in June 2025 “obliterated” the country’s nuclear facilities.
“Well, there are many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,” Leavitt said. “The president had a very successful operation as commander-in-chief with Operation Midnight Hammer. As you know, as you just said, totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
Leavitt was then asked whether the president felt the need to make the case for war to the American people, potentially in his upcoming State of the Union address, but she declined to answer, saying she wouldn’t “engage in a hypothetical.”
Vice President JD Vance has claimed the US’s main demand of Iran is that it must not pursue nuclear weapons, but there’s no sign Tehran is able to enrich uranium following the US strikes on its nuclear facilities, and Iranian officials have been clear that they would agree to a deal where they would commit to enrichment levels far below the 90% needed for a weapon, a level they’ve never even attempted.
In recent weeks and months, President Trump has frequently threatened to bomb Iran or back an Israeli attack on the country and has repeatedly shifted the pretext. Back in December, he said he would back an Israeli attack if Iran “continued” its conventional missile program, then in January, he repeatedly threatened to attack over the protests in the country, and now appears to be back to the nuclear issue.
Dave DeCamp
The US president convened the
meeting as he's overseeing the largest buildup of US airpower in the Middle
East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
President Trump on Thursday
convened the first meeting of his so-called “Board of Peace,” a body he formed
to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, which Israel continues to violate, and appeared
to threaten that a US attack on Iran could come within 10 days.
In a speech at the meeting, Trump referenced his June 2025 attack on Iran, which targeted the country’s nuclear facilities. “Now, we may have to take it a step further — or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next, probably 10 days,” he said.
Trump also said that Iran “must make a deal. If that doesn’t happen… bad things will happen.”
The US president convened the “Board of Peace” while overseeing what The Wall Street Journal has described as the largest gathering of US airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The US has sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and deployed dozens of additional fighter jets there in recent days.
While Trump claims Iran has the opportunity to “make a deal” with the US, it’s unclear what sort of agreement he would accept, and his administration hasn’t made a coherent case for why it needs to attack the country.
In his remarks on Thursday, Trump said Iran cannot have a “nuclear weapon,” but for months, he insisted the US airstrikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, and there’s no sign Tehran is even capable of enriching uranium at the moment. According to The New York Times, Iran has suggested it’s willing to suspend nuclear enrichment for three to five years, and then enter a regional consortium to enrich civilian-grade uranium, an arrangement that would give Tehran no path to a nuclear weapon.
The US’s real goal with Iran is likely either regime change or removing Iran’s ability to strike Israel. Israeli officials have demanded that any deal must include restrictions on Iran’s missiles, a condition Tehran would never accept since its missiles are its only form of deterrence and way to launch counterattacks if it’s bombed by the US or Israel.
February 18, 2026
Contact
your House representative and tell them to support H.Con.Res.38
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said on
Wednesday that he will force a vote on a War Powers Resolution meant to prevent
President Trump from attacking Iran without congressional authorization, as
required by the Constitution.The resolution was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Khanna, and several other Democrats back in June 2025 amid the 12-day US-Israeli war against Iran, but a ceasefire was reached before a vote was held. Massie was the original sponsor, and the legislation currently has 77 co-sponsors, all Democrats.
Americans can contact their House representative and urge them to support H.Con.Res.38 to prevent a disastrous war with Iran, which appears imminent amid the major US military buildup in the region.
“Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna wrote on X. “[Massie] & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting US troops in harm’s way. I will make a motion to discharge to force a vote on it next week.”
The California congressman said that he supported diplomatic efforts with Iran but that if “Trump is preparing to bomb Iran soon & others call for troops on the ground, Congress must get on the record so Americans know where their representatives stand.”
“Like the votes before the Iraq war, this could be one of the most consequential votes in the history of Congress. Are we going to stop another endless dumb foreign war? Or will the neoconservatives mislead us once again?” he added.
Multiple media reports have said that a US attack on Iran could happen in the coming days or weeks, and all signs indicate it could trigger a much bigger conflict than the 12-Day War, and that Iran wouldn’t hold back in its response. Tens of thousands of US military personnel in the Middle East are in range of Iranian missiles.
“A war with Iran would be catastrophic. Iran is a complex society of 90 million people with significant air defenses and military capabilities,” Khanna said. “We also have 30-40k US troops in the region who could be at risk of retaliation. Congress must do its job and stop this march to war.”
A Trump advisor told Axios that
there's a 90% chance the US launches an attack in the coming weeks, while
Israeli sources say it could happen within days
The Trump administration is close
to launching a major attack on Iran as it continues a massive buildup of
military forces in the Middle East, according to a report from Axios reporter
Barak Ravid.Sources told Ravid that the potential US attack on Iran would likely be a massive multi-week operation, much bigger than the US operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. They said it would also be much broader in scope than the 12-day US-Israeli war on Iran that was launched in June 2025. Reuters also recently reported that the US was preparing for a sustained, multi-week attack on Iran.
Israeli officials said that the Israeli government, which is pushing for the US to pursue regime change in Iran, is preparing for the possibility of the attack starting in the coming days, and CNN later reported that the US military is ready to start the war as soon as this weekend. Other sources put the timeline a little later, saying the war would likely start in a few weeks.
“The boss is getting fed up,” a Trump adviser told Ravid. “Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks.”
The Axios report noted that there has been little public debate about the potential war amid the major US military buildup and said that Americans will likely be surprised by the scale of the coming attack.
All signs indicate that if the US bombs Iran, Tehran will not hold back in its response and could target multiple US bases and warships in the region, leaving open the possibility that the war could result in hundreds or thousands of US casualties. The conflict could also have a major impact on the global economy, as Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 31% of seaborne crude oil shipments passed in 2025.
The US and Iran held talks on Tuesday, and while the Iranian side said there was a “clear path” toward a deal, US Vice President JD Vance said that Iran was not acknowledging President Trump’s “red lines.”
Vance claimed the main US demand was that Iran must not pursue a nuclear weapon, but for many months, the administration had insisted the June 2025 US strikes on Iran “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, and there’s no sign Tehran can enrich uranium at the moment. Iran has also made clear it’s willing to enter a deal that would involve a commitment to low enrichment levels, and Iranian officials maintain they don’t seek a nuclear bomb.
The real goal of any US attack on Iran will likely be regime change or taking out Iran’s ability to fire missiles at Israel. President Trump said back in December, when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-lago resort in Florida, that he would support another Israeli attack on Iran if the Islamic Republic “continued” its missile program.
Karoline Leavitt made the claim
when asked why the US may attack Iran when Trump has said its nuclear
facilities were 'obliterated'
As a US attack on Iran appears
increasingly likely, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on
Wednesday that there are “many reasons” for the US to bomb the country, but
declined to elaborate further, as the administration hasn’t given a coherent
reason for the potential war.Leavitt made the comments when asked why a potential attack on Iran was necessary after President Trump insisted for months that the US airstrikes launched against Iran during the 12-Day War in June 2025 “obliterated” the country’s nuclear facilities.
“Well, there are many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,” Leavitt said. “The president had a very successful operation as commander-in-chief with Operation Midnight Hammer. As you know, as you just said, totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
Leavitt was then asked whether the president felt the need to make the case for war to the American people, potentially in his upcoming State of the Union address, but she declined to answer, saying she wouldn’t “engage in a hypothetical.”
Vice President JD Vance has claimed the US’s main demand of Iran is that it must not pursue nuclear weapons, but there’s no sign Tehran is able to enrich uranium following the US strikes on its nuclear facilities, and Iranian officials have been clear that they would agree to a deal where they would commit to enrichment levels far below the 90% needed for a weapon, a level they’ve never even attempted.
In recent weeks and months, President Trump has frequently threatened to bomb Iran or back an Israeli attack on the country and has repeatedly shifted the pretext. Back in December, he said he would back an Israeli attack if Iran “continued” its conventional missile program, then in January, he repeatedly threatened to attack over the protests in the country, and now appears to be back to the nuclear issue.
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