Top House Democrats raised their concerns after a classified security briefing on the recent U.S.-backed strike in Iran was postponed, delaying what they say is a necessary opportunity to evaluate the U.S. government’s actions in Iran and assess the situation in the Middle East.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on June 24 that the White House had confirmed the briefing will now take place on June 27. The session is expected to include senior administration officials and cover developments involving Israel and Iran following escalations in recent weeks and the U.S. strike over the weekend.
“The American people deserve to know the facts and the truth,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who spoke alongside Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) at a press conference on June 24. Jeffries said the Trump administration has not yet presented evidence supporting claims that Iran’s nuclear program was neutralized and asked why congressional authorization was not sought.
The press conference came shortly after CNN reported, citing anonymous sources, that U.S. strikes did not destroy Iranian nuclear sites—something the White House quickly disputed.
“FAKE NEWS CNN STRIKES AGAIN: This alleged ‘assessment’ is flat-out wrong and was classified as ’top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”
The administration has said the strike was coordinated with Israel and justified on national security grounds.
Clark emphasized the constitutional role of Congress in decisions involving the use of military force.
“The Constitution is not a suggestion. Congress is not here for show,” she said. “Our democratic institutions exist because there are no kings in this country,” she said.
Aguilar, who leads the House Democratic Caucus, said members are eager to fulfill their oversight responsibilities and understand the implications of recent actions.
“Our primary concern is the safety of American troops and American interests in the region,” he said.
Jeffries noted that while Friday’s briefing is a step forward, it does not replace the leaders’ call for continued transparency. He said congressional leaders—including those on the intelligence committee—had not received a full classified update prior to or immediately following the strike, only brief notifications that military activity was forthcoming.
Democrats also said that a classified setting, while necessary for certain details, should not limit broader accountability.
“The American people deserve to understand what was done in their name, and why,” Jeffries said.
Johnson said more details on the upcoming briefing would be shared with members shortly.
By Chase Smith
