2028 Dem Presidential Contenders on Iran: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Democratic voters don’t want a new regime change war in the Middle East. Which top Dems are listening – and which aren’t?
We already know how feckless Democratic Party leadership can be, and how complicit it is in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Look no further than Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who responded by fronting his concerns about how Donald Trump’s “fitful cycles” put a wrench into more “strategic” ways to confront Iran’s “malign regional activities” and “nuclear ambitions.”
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Schumer in calling on Congress to vote for a War Powers Resolution to require congressional approval for any military action in Iran, Jeffries didn’t do much better in the throat-clearing department.
But what about the Democrats likely running for president in 2028? We’ve collected their responses to Trump’s illegal and dangerous war, and ranked them here.
Without further ado – here is The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:
The Good
Ro Khanna:
Khanna, the California congressman, is one of the few Democrats actually using his power to check Trump by leading a War Powers Resolution in the House. He acknowledged the 93 million people in Iran and called the US-Israel assault on the Islamic Republic what it is: “an illegal regime change war” that endangers Americans.
Ruben Gallego:
The Arizona Senator delivered a crisp message befitting of the moment and its contradictions: “Trump ran on exposing the pedophiles and stopping wars. Trump is now protecting the pedophiles and starting wars.”
Chris Van Hollen:
Van Hollen is among the few to condemn the killings of innocent Iranian people, as hawks claim this war is being fought for their freedom. “Trump is lying to the American people as he launches an illegal, regime-change war against Iran,” the Maryland senator wrote. “This is endangering American lives & has already resulted in mass civilian casualties.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:
Ocasio-Cortez checked Trump’s fake rationale for the war, saying this was “not an inevitability,” but a “deliberate choice of aggression” by Trump, who “walked away” from negotiating. “Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran,” the New York congresswoman said.
Pete Buttigieg:
Buttigieg condemned Trump’s “war of choice” for risking American lives, ignoring US law, and endangering allies. “It does nothing to help with the urgent problems here at home that Americans face every day,” the former transportation secretary said.
Jon Ossoff:
While couching in “Iran’s support for terrorism and uranium enrichment” as destabilizing the region, Ossoff condemned Trump’s lies about Iran posing a threat, and his earlier contradictory claims that he “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Georgia senator, who’s up for reelection this year, pushed for an immediate vote on a War Powers resolution to stop Trump.
JB Pritzker:
Pritzker, the Illinois governor, slammed Trump for his expressed indifference for US soldiers who may die from his war. “Donald Trump is once again sidestepping the Constitution and once again failing to explain why he’s taking us into another war,” Pritzker said. “Americans asked for affordable housing and healthcare, not another potentially endless conflict.”
Kamala Harris:
While Trump and his MAGA allies argued in 2024 that electing Kamala Harris would mean a war in Iran, or World War III, the former vice president condemned Trump’s war. “Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” she said.