Washington, March 13 (NationPress) Senate Democrats intensified their criticism of President Donald Trump's military actions in Iran, labeling the conflict as illegal, expensive, and constitutionally questionable, while demanding public testimony from key officials in the administration.

The most pointed remarks came from Senator Tim Kaine, who serves on the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations Committees. He asserted that the United States had been thrust into a war without congressional approval, incurring escalating costs both domestically and internationally.

“America has been engaged in conflict with Iran for 12 days. The toll on our military personnel, on ordinary Americans, and on innocent Iranian civilians—including children—is significant,” Kaine remarked. “This war is widely opposed.”

During a Senate Armed Services Committee session, Kaine contended that “this military engagement is unlawful” and emphasized that the Constitution explicitly grants Congress the authority to declare war. He accused the President of having “increased his military actions globally without congressional consent, while also threatening further military interventions against additional countries.”

“We find ourselves in this conflict due to the unilateral decisions of one individual who has grown overly confident that Congress will not contest his authoritarian actions,” Kaine stated.

Kaine, whose bipartisan War Powers Resolution faced obstruction from Senate Republicans last week, mentioned that he had collaborated with Senators Cory Booker, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Tammy Baldwin, and Tammy Duckworth to introduce further War Powers Resolutions as the situation escalated.

In another statement on Thursday, Baldwin and her colleagues called on Senate Republican leadership to conduct immediate public hearings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“Currently, oil and gas prices are soaring, the cost of essential goods is rising, and the U.S. is allocating billions to this conflict rather than concentrating on lowering expenses at home,” the senators expressed. “The Trump administration must address these issues publicly, under oath, in front of the American people, rather than in private settings.”

They cautioned that if public hearings did not occur during the current legislative session, they would “explore alternative avenues to ensure timely public discourse on the Senate floor.”

The political debate surrounding the war also expanded to include discussions about its financial implications. During a Senate Finance Subcommittee hearing, Senator Elizabeth Warren probed Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip L. Swagel regarding the administration's anticipated request for an additional $50 billion for the conflict.

When asked if he could guarantee that the war would cost merely $50 billion, Swagel replied: “No, I can't, and we lack clarity on its duration or scope.”

Warren remarked: “This war is taking American lives and draining considerable financial resources—funds that could be utilized to lower costs in areas such as healthcare.” Swagel also confirmed that extending enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for an additional year would amount to “approximately $30 billion.”

Outside of Washington, anti-war sentiment was also evident. Congressman Mike Thompson noted that over 700 community members, veterans, and military families participated in “No Forever Wars” events in Napa and Woodland, California. “This unauthorized military engagement in Iran has already claimed seven American lives and is costing taxpayers more than a billion dollars daily, with no clear resolution in sight,” Thompson stated.

Kaine framed the discussion in both constitutional and personal contexts. “We owe our servicemen and women better than this,” he asserted. “But as our experiences in Vietnam and Iraq have demonstrated, even the most courageous service cannot rectify poor decisions made by civilians.”

The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war; however, recent presidents from both parties have frequently employed military force without formal declarations. This ongoing tension has consistently sparked conflicts on Capitol Hill concerning the extent of presidential war powers.