North Carolina lawmakers are split largely along party lines after the United States' attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend.
President Donald Trump addressed the nation at 10 p.m. Saturday, declaring the strikes were a "spectacular military success." On Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States “does not seek war” and was not trying to bring regime change to Iran, according to the Associated Press.
"Let's be very clear. We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are at war with a regime if you will, that has chanted 'death to America,' that has killed Americans around the globe since 1979," said Rep. Tim Moore, a Republican congressman from western North Carolina and the former speaker of the state House.
"President Trump made it very clear that a nuclear-armed Iran is not something that is going to be allowed. So I appreciate the president taking this bold stand to take this action because we know had this regime gotten a hold of actually developed nuclear weapons, they would be very likely to use them," he said.
On Thursday, Trump said he would decide in two weeks on whether to act against Iran, but ultimately only took days.
Rep. Deborah Ross and other Democrats reacted with outrage at the president's actions.
"This unilateral action by the United States was unlawful and unconstitutional. Both the law and the Constitution are clear: Only Congress has the power to declare war. The President did not appropriately consult Congress, let alone seek authorization for the attack," she said on social media.
"These strikes also risk entangling the United States in another costly war in the Middle East — something Donald Trump explicitly and repeatedly told the American people he would avoid," said Ross, a Democrat from Raleigh. She called on the Trump administration to brief Congress on the situation in the Middle East.
"At this moment of uncertainty, our top priority must be protecting American military and diplomatic personnel in the region. I join members of both parties in praying for their safety," she said.
Rep. Greg Murphy, another North Carolina Republican, said Iran was "a threat to peace" and had been for decades.
“An Iran with a nuclear bomb gives birth to a world in jeopardy of cataclysmic destruction,” Murphy said on X.
He said the Trump administration had tried to negotiate “in good faith” but Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, “overplayed his hand and now must pay the price.”
“May God protect the innocent lives at stake and the United States and Israel’s righteous efforts to put an end to the grievous bloodshed carried out by Iran and its jihadi proxies,” Murphy said.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, did not weigh in on the bombing, but did say he was briefed by Homeland Security Secretary Kirsti Noem on domestic threats from Iran.
"Public safety officials in North Carolina are working in close coordination with local, state, and federal partners to remain vigilant against any retaliatory threat, whether physical or cyber," the governor said on X.
"To all the brave North Carolinians serving our country overseas, I am deeply grateful for your continued service and sacrifice and am praying for your safety," he said.
