‘Decisive leadership’: Braun, Indiana Republicans applaud Trump’s decision to strike Iran

The United States has inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran by dropping 30,000-pound bombs on an uranium enrichment site buried under a mountain.

President Donald Trump announced the attacks late Saturday, which he said was necessary to stop the nuclear threat.

“Congratulations to our great American Warriors,” Trump said on social media. “There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The strikes mark the United States’ first direct military involvement in the conflict, and comes after years of promises by President Trump to keep the U.S. out of the conflict in the Middle East.

Indiana politicians reacted to the attacks with social media posts, including Gov. Mike Braun, who praised President Trump’s decision.

Braun said in a statement that he applauds Trump’s “decisive leadership” as he ordered “destruction of Iran’s nuclear sites”. He added that he is thankful for the troops and that he will pray for their safety and for peace to prevail.

Other Indiana Republicans — including U.S. Sens. Todd Young and Jim Banks; U.S. Reps. Jim Baird and Jefferson Shreve; and former Vice President Mike Pence, who once served as governor — also expressed support for the attacks.

“Thank you to our brave service members who executed this mission. The world will be safer if Iran’s nuclear capability is destroyed. I look forward to briefings in the coming days,” Sen. Young said in a statement.

Pence said that Trump “made the right call to deploy American forces to strike nuclear sites in Iran and he should be commended for his decisive leadership”.

“Thanks to the resolve of our Commander in Chief and the courage and professionalism of our Armed Forces, America, Israel and the Free World are safer as a result,” Pence said. “Iran should now stand down and abandon any thought of retaliation against Americans or be prepared to face the consequences.”

Shreve, who represents central and eastern Indiana, said there can not be "world peace with a nuclear-armed Iran." 

"I agreed with and support the military action taken by the President," he posted on social media.

But Democratic congressman André Carson criticized the president’s decision to strike Iran and described it as “unconstitutional”.

He said that the president can only take war action without Congressional approval if the U.S. is directly under attack from a foreign country, to protect and rescue Americans abroad, safely remove troops or for peacemaking missions or humanitarian aid. Carson said the attack puts U.S. troops in danger and gets the country into another endless war.

“I’m cosponsoring the War Powers Resolution to block any effort to drag the US into a regional war without public debate or accountability,” said Carson, who represents nearly all of Indianapolis. “I’m being briefed on the situation and will continue providing updates to my constituents. That’s the type of transparency the American people deserve.”

In his address to the nation from the White House on Saturday, Trump said the U.S.’ objective was destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat.

"Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” he said.

On Sunday morning, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear ambitions, NPR reported.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as its Isfahan nuclear site, but it insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. Both Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination around the three locations following the strikes.

Farah Yousry is the managing editor of the health team at WFYI and Side Effects Public Media. You can contact her at fyousry@wfyi.org.