Iran Retaliates Against U.S. as Top Dems Respond in Exclusive Meidas Interviews

Hakeem Jeffries and Jim Himes join me to break down Trump’s reckless war escalation—and what comes next.

By Ben Meiselas

As Iran fires missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq, I want to level with you: We are in a full-blown crisis—and it was entirely avoidable. Donald Trump bypassed Congress, ignored the Constitution, and now our troops, allies, and national security are all in the crosshairs of a war we didn’t authorize and don’t understand.

I just finished breaking this all down on the MeidasTouch Network, including exclusive interviews with two of the most important voices on this issue: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressman Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. These are the people who should have been consulted before any military action was taken. Instead, they found out with the rest of us—through Trump’s unhinged social media posts filled with ALL-CAPS lunacy and incoherent rants.

Leader Jeffries reminded us that only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war. He questioned Trump’s claim of an “imminent threat,” which just weeks ago was contradicted by Trump’s own Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. And he demanded that Trump provide evidence to justify what is now a clear act of war.

Congressman Himes, meanwhile, laid out the real-world dangers. He explained that American bases are now targets. Casualties are not only possible—they're likely. And as he put it, “we shouldn’t be in this place.” Himes warned that Trump’s reckless gamble—escalating tensions without a coherent strategy—could destabilize the entire Middle East, spike gas prices, and leave our allies exposed. All while bypassing the War Powers Act and hiding the truth from Congress and the American people.

And as if that weren’t enough, at the same time Trump is throwing America into an unauthorized war, he and his Republican enablers are trying to ram through the largest Medicaid cuts in U.S. history—gutting healthcare, slashing nutrition aid, and handing trillions to billionaire donors. As Leader Jeffries said, they are literally ripping food from the mouths of children and veterans while exploding the national debt by over $3 trillion.

This isn’t policy. It’s sabotage.

But here’s the truth: Americans are rising up. From the No Kings protests to communities organizing across red, blue, and purple states, people are waking up to the authoritarian threat this regime poses. As Jeffries said, it’s an “all hands on deck moment.” And it’s not just about Congress or the courts. It’s about you. About all of us, standing up, speaking out, and organizing like never before to take back our democracy.

Let me be clear: this war was not authorized. It was not justified. And we will not let Donald Trump rewrite the Constitution to fit his delusions of grandeur. The interviews I just conducted make one thing crystal clear—Trump broke the law. And the cost of his lawlessness may be measured in American lives.

Watch my latest report along with the full interviews here. Share it. Subscribe. Stay informed. Because the stakes have never been higher.