Oregonians rally after Trump’s Iran strikes, Northwest lawmakers call for accountability

Some Oregonians joined protesters in other U.S. cities on Sunday to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s decision to launch military strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran.

On Saturday evening, Trump announced that joint U.S.-Israeli strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” key Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities. On Sunday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes, saying Trump’s order to attack Iran “was powerful, and it was clear.”

Around 10 people gathered at a rally in downtown Beaverton with signs that read “Love Not War” and “History Is Watching.”

Zephram Anderegg attended the protest with his fiancee, and said he was “appalled, but not necessarily surprised” when he heard about the bombings.

“It’s definitely on brand for him to completely go against what he campaigned on,” Anderegg said, referring to Trump’s campaigning against the U.S. involving itself in more wars. “Now that he’s president, he’s just kind of doubling back.”

Organizers announced that two additional rallies will take place in Hillsboro on Sunday afternoon. At these three events, attendees are encouraged to support legislative resolutions urging that President Trump be required to consult Congress before initiating any acts of war.

Lisa Stiller, who organized the impromptu protest in Beaverton, said she was happy to see that even a small crowd had gathered on short notice. She expects there to be more demonstrations over the next week as the war goes on.

“There needs to be a discussion about waging a war that can have so many horrendous consequences,” Stiller said.

An estimated 300 people also gathered in Portland Sunday afternoon for a similar rally protesting Trump’s military actions.

Several members of Congress from the Pacific Northwest have joined Democratic leaders nationwide in condemning Trump’s decision to wage war on Iran without seeking congressional approval. They argue the move violates the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the authority to declare war.

While many Republicans praised the president, Democratic lawmakers from Oregon voiced strong opposition.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley criticized the strikes as “a wrong decision on all counts,” saying Trump acted without congressional authorization or adequate diplomatic effort.

“Another Republican President has taken us into another Middle East war, despite Trump claiming to be a President who would choose peace,” Merkley said Saturday evening on X.

“And (Trump) has done so in violation of the Constitution — which requires Congressional authorization for war. All to accomplish a mission — disabling Iran’s nuclear program — that Netanyahu stated Israel can achieve without U.S. assistance,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter called the action “unconstitutional and deeply reckless,” and raised concerns for the safety of American servicemembers abroad.

“As a mother, I am fervently committed to protecting our children from another endless war. The American people and our brave service members deserve answers, and I will demand the Trump administration provide them,” Dexter said on X Saturday evening.

Rep. Andrea Salinas agreed, stating that any decision to go to war must be debated and approved by Congress.

“Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and preventing a nuclear armed Iran is a shared priority both for the United States, Israel and our allies. However, we cannot allow any president to involve us in another open-ended war without constitutional authority,” Salinas said on X Saturday.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici echoed this concern on Bluesky, warning that going to war without congressional approval undermines democratic principles and can have global consequences.

“To begin a war is among the most consequential decisions a nation can make, affecting its troops, civilians, and the world,” Bonamici said Saturday.

In addition to criticizing Trump for bypassing congressional authority, Rep. Val Hoyle shared a post by Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisconsin, supporting a bipartisan War Powers Resolution aimed at halting unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Iran.

Sen. Ron Wyden said in a press release Sunday that during town halls in Eastern Oregon and the Columbia Gorge over the weekend, many constituents expressed concern about the U.S. getting involved in another war overseas.

“As senior senator on the Intelligence Committee, I’ll be pushing the Trump administration for answers on what plan, if any, it has to prevent an escalation of violence,” Wyden said.

Oregon’s lone Republican representative, Cliff Bentz, issued a written statement on Sunday expressing support for Trump’s military actions against Iran.

He also warned of potential terrorist retaliation in the U.S., saying: “Unless Iran immediately surrenders which is highly unlikely, this is not the end of this crisis. Therefore, every American must be vigilant and report to authorities any activity that even hints at terrorist activity.”

Correction: This story has been updated with Rep. Val Hoyle’s statement criticizing Trump for bypassing congressional authority. OPB regrets the error.