U.S. Rep. John Larson said on May 7 that he has filed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, accusing the administration of carrying out what he described as an “illegal war in Iran” without congressional authorization. The Connecticut Democrat argued in a post on X and an accompanying video statement that the White House had bypassed constitutional war powers by engaging in military action without first seeking approval from Congress.
In his post published Thursday, Larson wrote: “The President wants to send our young men and women to war without even coming before Congress. Whether it’s his tariffs, ICE secret police, or the illegal war in Iran, one thing is clear. Donald Trump thinks he’s above the law. That’s why I filed articles of impeachment.”
Larson expanded on those remarks in a video posted alongside the statement, warning that the country had already entered what he described as an authoritarian phase of government. “We’re not heading towards authoritarianism. We’re in it right now. And when you can declare war against a nation and not come before Congress, Americans have got to speak out,” Larson said in the video.
The congressman directly criticized Republican lawmakers for failing to oppose the administration’s military campaign against Iran, saying, “If the Republicans won’t find their nerve and stand up before we send young men and women to battle, that is a crime.”
Larson also referenced his opposition to the 2003 Iraq War while contrasting that conflict with the current military operation against Iran. “Yeah. I voted against the Iraq War. But George Bush came before the United States Congress, as he’s required to do under the Constitution and the War Powers Act. He came before Congress and a vote was taken,” Larson said. “I believe it was a wrong vote, but nonetheless, he followed the Constitution, and we have to demand that Donald Trump does the same thing.”
He concluded the video by pledging continued opposition unless Congress is formally involved in authorizing military action. “I will not stop fighting it -nor will anyone in the Connecticut delegation until he comes before Congress and does what’s required of the people. It’s the people’s House, and you make it so, and that’s why your words are so important,” Larson said.
Larson’s comments come amid ongoing fallout from the U.S.-Iran war that began on Feb. 28 after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. According to figures reported by Reuters on April 10, thousands of people have been killed during the conflict, including more than 3,000 deaths reported inside Iran alone. Reuters also reported that 13 U.S. military service members had been killed and more than 300 wounded during operations connected to the war.
The military campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, was launched by U.S. Central Command on Feb. 28 at the direction of President Trump. According to operational details released by CENTCOM as of April 6, the campaign involved strikes on more than 13,000 targets and the destruction or damage of over 155 Iranian vessels. The operation utilized a wide range of U.S. military assets, including B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft, aircraft carriers, guided missile destroyers, submarines, Patriot missile systems, drones, and electronic warfare aircraft.
CENTCOM said the campaign focused on dismantling Iran’s military and security infrastructure, including command centers, ballistic missile facilities, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters, drone manufacturing sites, naval assets, air defense systems, and weapons production facilities. The conflict also reportedly resulted in the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader along with more than 40 Iranian officials and military leaders.
Larson has consistently argued that military actions of that scale require explicit congressional authorization under Article I of the Constitution and the War Powers Act. As of early 2026, the congressman has positioned himself as a leading Democratic critic of unilateral presidential military action, repeatedly opposing what he has described as “reckless wars” lacking congressional consent.
On April 10, Larson’s office released a statement formally announcing impeachment proceedings tied to the Iran conflict. In that statement, Larson accused Trump of becoming “more unhinged” and claimed the president was placing “the safety and security of millions of Americans at risk.” The statement further alleged that Trump had “blown past every requirement to be removed from office.”
Larson’s office also referenced the 25th Amendment in its April statement, urging cabinet officials to consider invoking constitutional mechanisms allowing for the temporary removal of presidential authority. “Donald Trump has blown past every requirement to be removed from office. And it’s getting worse,” Larson said in the release, again pointing to what he called the administration’s “illegal war in Iran.”
The impeachment push emerged even after a temporary ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran was announced on April 8. While hostilities were reportedly reduced following the ceasefire, casualties across the region continued to mount. Reuters reported deaths connected to the conflict in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and among U.S. forces operating in the region.
Larson’s May 7 comments now place congressional war powers and the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict at the center of a growing political and constitutional confrontation in Washington, with the Connecticut lawmaker insisting that any continued military escalation must first be debated and approved by Congress before additional American troops are sent into combat.