Democrats back off calls for troops to refuse orders in Iran conflict

Amid ongoing hostilities with Iran, Democrats brushed off past calls from some figures in their party for U.S. armed forces to “refuse illegal orders,” even as they broadly maintained that President Donald Trump’s use of the military is on shaky footing without lawmaker approval.

“The troops are in no way to blame for this illegal war. Responsibility lies solely and simply with the president,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said.

“We support the troops always. They’re following orders,” Rep. Daren Soto, D-Fla., said. “This is about a debate of whether we should be there or not.”

The comments come just months after six members of Congress with military backgrounds urged service members to disregard unconstitutional directives.

GOP BLOCKS BOOKER-LED PUSH TO CURB TRUMP’S MILITARY AUTHORITY IN IRAN

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks to press outside the Senate Chambers after voting in the U.S. Capitol on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Senate will take up budget negotiations after the House passed the spending bill on Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

“You must refuse illegal orders,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said. “Don’t give up the ship.”

The six lawmakers included: Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.

The lawmakers did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment when asked about what those calls meant in the context of the conflict with Iran.

ONE MONTH AT WAR WITH IRAN — CAN WASHINGTON DEFINE VICTORY?

Efforts to pass a war powers resolution that would curb Trump’s military powers in Iran have failed amid a steep partisan divide over whether the president’s actions fall within what the Constitution permits without congressional approval.

A war power resolution that would have forced Trump to remove U.S. forces from Iran failed in the House of Representatives in a 213-214 vote on Thursday.

Democrats, citing the War Powers Act of 1973, note that the law requires a president to secure approval from lawmakers before engaging in a conflict that goes past 60 days.

FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS, SAYS TRUMP’S MILITARY STRIKES ON IRAN HAVE ‘MADE THE WORLD SAFER’

A plume of smoke rises from the site of a strike in Tehran early on March 28, 2026. (Atta Kenare/AFP)

“The president says it’s an ‘excursion’ which it’s not,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said. “We have to call it for what it is. It is a war.”

Republicans and other advocates for the conflict have noted the war with Iran hasn’t hit that mark yet.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in rebuffing challenges to the president’s authority.

DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS

“I’ve been the only Democrat who has supported Epic Fury,” Fetterman said, referring to the Iran conflict’s operational name.

“And now we’re 48 days into this. None of this has been illegal,” he added.

Even so, Democrats have blasted the president for dragging the country into a conflict that they say is far from a meaningful resolution.

Blumenthal called on the administration to provide lawmakers with more information about a possible timeline for resolution and more details about the conflict’s status.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks to a reporter as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

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“One of the complaints — and it’s bipartisan — we don’t have any accurate information about how the blockade is going, what the costs of the war are, even in a classified setting,” Blumenthal said.

Although Trump has said U.S. and Iran talks are working towards ending the conflict for good, it remains unclear if ceasefire talks will render a permanent cessation of hostilities.