Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is drawing a clear line between U.S. interests and Israeli military action, saying the United States should not be dragged into a new war with Iran.
Sanders Slams Netanyahu’s Role in Escalation
In a series of posts on X, Sanders blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for escalating tensions by attacking Iran directly.
“Netanyahu started this war by attacking Iran,” Sanders wrote.
“He assassinated Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator, deliberately sabotaging US-Iran nuclear negotiations.”
He followed up with a direct warning: “The US must not be dragged into another illegal Netanyahu war – either militarily or financially.”
Sanders also emphasized the constitutional limits on presidential war powers.
“The Constitution of the United States is very clear. There is no ambiguity. It is Congress that determines whether we go to war, not the President,” he said.
“Trump must not take illegal military action against Iran.”
In another post, Sanders added: “Netanyahu is not the President of the United States. He should not be determining U.S. foreign and military policy. If the people of Israel support his decision to start a war with Iran, that is their business and their war. The United States must not be a part of it.”
Online Reaction: Mixed and Intense
People reacted quickly to what Sanders said online. Supporters praised him for saying what others wouldn’t, with one person writing, “Thank you for saying what so many refuse to say out loud.”
Some said they didn’t usually agree with Sanders but backed him this time. “Never thought I’d say this, but I agree with Bernie. Guess a broken clock is right twice a day.”
Others lashed out. One person accused Sanders of ignoring threats from Iran: “So you want Iran to build nuclear weapons of which they are very close to accomplishing. Got it!”
Trump Holds Off on Strike, But Options Still on the Table
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has opened a two-week window for diplomacy before deciding whether to strike Iran.
According to CNN, the administration hopes Iran will feel enough pressure from ongoing Israeli attacks to rejoin stalled nuclear talks.
However, Iran has refused to engage with the U.S. unless Israeli strikes stop. Trump, for his part, has encouraged Netanyahu to “keep going,” signaling no pressure on Israel to de-escalate.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday: “The president is unafraid to use strength if necessary. And Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world.”
While Trump appears interested in diplomacy, he has also been briefed on the possibility of using bunker-buster bombs against Iran’s nuclear site at Fordow, raising concerns about a potential long-term conflict.
European diplomats are meeting with Iranian officials in Geneva to try to restart negotiations, but expectations remain low.
For now, the U.S. stance is complicated: military options are being reviewed, but Trump has paused any immediate action.
Sanders and others are urging restraint. As he put it, “The United States must not be a part of it.”
IMAGE CREDIT: “Bernie Sanders” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.