Khanna blasts risky Iran strikes, says 'Americans are not safer today'

Ro Khanna accused Republican leadership of reviving interventionist policies that many voters rejected during Donald Trump's 2016 campaign
Rep Ro Khanna argued that the strikes risked widening the conflict and could endanger US troops rather than strengthen national security (Screengrab/MeetThePress/NBC News)
Rep Ro Khanna argued that the strikes risked widening the conflict and could endanger US troops rather than strengthen national security (Screengrab/MeetThePress/NBC News)

WASHINGTON, DC: Appearing on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, March 1, Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif) delivered a sharp dissent against the ongoing military offensive in Iran, asserting that "Americans are not safer today" despite the reported elimination of the Iranian supreme leader.

Khanna characterized the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "brutal dictator" but argued that the administration’s actions have effectively launched a new Middle Eastern war without a clear plan for the aftermath.

The congressman emphasized that at age 86, Khamenei’s succession was already a focus for the Iranian Assembly of Experts.

He warned that the sudden power vacuum risked a violent internal collapse, asking, "Is the country going to descend into civil war? Are billions of our dollars going to be spent there? Are American troops going to be at risk?"

Ro Khanna calls Lindsey Graham face of ‘wrong’ GOP policy



Khanna targeted Senator Lindsey Graham, labeling him as the current face of a Republican foreign policy that has been "consistently wrong."

He noted that while President Trump originally ran against "absolute failure" regime-change wars in 2016, the administration has now adopted the interventionist stance it once rejected.

The California Democrat argued that this shift represented a "betrayal" of the MAGA base, which historically opposed further entanglements in the Middle East.

He maintained that because the IRGC remains in power, the strikes have achieved little beyond increasing the threat to US service members.

War Powers Resolution vote looms



Khanna and Representative Thomas Massie are pushing for an immediate vote on a War Powers Resolution (WPR) to strip the president of unauthorized military authority.

Khanna admitted that the vote would be "close," estimating a 40-60 chance of passing, depending on whether "on the fence" Democrats held the line.

He asserted that the WPR was specifically designed for this moment, when a president had already launched an attack, to allow Congress to intervene and say, "No, you need to stop."

Khanna concluded that the choice for lawmakers was clear: either support a path away from endless war or side with the interventionist views of the GOP leadership.

Ro Khanna wants Trump to follow the 'Clinton rule'



Beyond the military offensive, Khanna addressed the ongoing fallout from the Epstein files, noting that former President Bill Clinton’s recent closed-door testimony had established a "new Clinton rule."

He argued that because Clinton had answered questions fully without taking the Fifth Amendment, Donald Trump and his family should be held to the same standard of transparency.

Khanna revealed plans to subpoena Howard Lutnick and expressed a desire to have Trump testify about hidden Justice Department interviews and past allegations.

He insisted that every person associated with Epstein’s mansions should be called under oath to explain what they knew.

RELATED TOPICS US STRIKES IRAN

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has frequently made headlines during the midterm campaign, has hit back at Trump over his remarks about the candidate’s name and Muslim identity
2026-10-26T16:52:29.000Z
Officials said that President Trump remained undecided on post-midterm military action but appeared inclined to order a major strike
2026-10-26T16:23:19.000Z
Bennett, a Trump appointee, and Judge Gabriel Sanchez, a Biden appointee, both questioned DOJ’s decision to appeal in the ninth Circuit before the US District Court in California, where the case was originally filed, had held a hearing
2026-10-26T14:59:42.000Z
Donald Trump criticized Barack Obama's Iran nuclear deal and his support for Democratic candidates during the 2026 midterm campaign trail
2026-10-26T06:10:52.000Z
Donald Trump defended private health insurance, citing satisfied friends and claiming that some of his Canadian friends travel to the US for medical treatment
2026-10-26T06:05:14.000Z
President Donald Trump renewed his claim that he deserved the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize after human rights lawyer Navi Pillay was named the winner
2026-10-26T05:38:59.000Z
Thom Tillis also accused Democrats of 'gaming the system' through the candidacy of Daniel J Sullivan
2026-10-26T05:12:13.000Z
Elon Musk's money has gone toward efforts to boost Republicans in key races, particularly Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton
2026-10-26T04:47:42.000Z
Amy Acton urged Donald Trump and JD Vance to examine the facts, recalling her testimony against her stepfather over childhood abuse
2026-10-26T04:16:27.000Z
Donald Trump criticised Bill Maher’s appearance and HBO show after the comedian described their latest meeting and defended dining with the president
2026-10-26T02:59:54.000Z