As Trump Renews Iran Nuke Threats, Dems Ponder Blocking War Funds

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned the US and Israel on Saturday against renewing attacks, saying they would be met with“geographically unrestricted” retaliation. He expressed hope Sunday that“that there is rationality on the other side to prefer diplomacy to other paths.”

But“Democrats can block war funding” before the new year,” said Just Foreign Policy. Government funding set to expire December 11 includes money for the US Department of Defense, which“is illegally bombing and blockading Iranian civilians,” the organization said.

“Senate Democrats must not send another dollar to [Defense Secretary Pete] Hegseth's War Department unless the US stops the illegal war that is harming 90 million Iranian civilians and 300 million US drivers,” said JFP, referring to the skyrocketing gas prices that have resulted from the conflict.“No excuses. Not another dollar for this illegal war.”

JFP referred to Murphy's comments at the Middle East Institute last Wednesday, where he said Democrats in Congress must“use our spending power to end the war.”

“I imagine what will happen is that there will be a continuing resolution after the election, and we'll push off the budget until January or February of next year,” said Murphy.“And then if Democrats are in charge, we will essentially say we want to fund the Department of Defense, but we are not going to fund the Department of Defense if it's funding this war. And so there will have to be some provision in the bill that denies any funding to be used for the continuation of a war against Iran that's making us less safe and costing billions to American citizens.”

JFP emphasized that even if Democrats don't win a majority in Congress in Tuesday's elections, Democratic senators would be able to block the continuing resolution that would keep the war funded into February, because Republicans with their current majority would need seven Democrats to join them in supporting the funding.

“ Democrats must block Iran war funding in 2026,” said JFP.“Democrats do NOT need to win or wait. Murphy's approach here means Democrats would agree to fund the Iran war for months or years to come.”