Editorial: Iran war talks stall. Defense chiefs get fired. Where's the Senate?

The Seattle Times editorial board, The Seattle Times on Apr 29, 2026

Published in Op Eds

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For the fifth time, the Senate Democrats last week tried to put constitutionally protected guardrails on President Donald Trump and his authority over the war in Iran. For the fifth time, Republican senators blocked them.

The actions and statements of the president and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth should snap Republican senators back to reality. Congress should have been consulted; it was not.

Repeatedly, Trump and Hegseth demonstrate the lack of leadership, military and temperament to lead the U.S. military in a war without some form of oversight.

That’s why the voices and experience of lawmakers are urgently needed.

As the war continues, too many decisions have been made by the Trump administration that should concern any politician who understands the consequences — at home and abroad — of waging a directionless war in the Middle East.

Trump made an apocalyptic threat April 7 via social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if Iran didn’t meet his deadline to strike a deal. That prompted many Republicans in Congress to criticize him, but not enough to take action.

Also, this month Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, who has experience in multiple wars, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. George is among at least 19 admirals or generals Hegseth has either fired, demoted or reassigned.

Meanwhile, negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled once again and Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violating a ceasefire deal. And still, there’s little reported traction toward disabling Iran’s nuclear capacity, once and for all.

Now Trump has requested that Congress approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget as munitions stockpiles reportedly are dwindling.

All of these disturbing and questionable developments ought to be enough to goose members of Congress to stop sitting on their hands, their eyes cast downward.

“Our colleagues have had several opportunities to make sure the president comes before Congress before engaging us in such a broad war effort,” said U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “Now, after billions of dollars and loss of life, Americans are faced with skyrocketing fuel prices. The cost of this conflict cannot continue to be sustained. Diplomatic efforts that allow the U.S. and regional allies to verify Iran does not possess nuclear weapons should be our goal.”

Friday will be Day 60 of the undeclared war; that’s the deadline for Trump to either get congressional approval or start dialing back military action. Under the law, he can extend that deadline by 30 days.

With 13 military service members killed and economic pressures from the war being felt at home, the American people cannot wait for the administration to act responsibly on its own — and neither should Congress.

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The Seattle Times editorial board: members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Ryan Blethen, Melissa Davis, Josh Farley, Alex Fryer, Claudia Rowe, Carlton Winfrey, Frank A. Blethen (emeritus) and William K. Blethen (emeritus).