House shelves effort to impeach Trump over Iran strikes

There are calls for US President Donald Trump to be impeached over his “unconstitutional” move to bomb top nuclear facilities in Iran.

Democrats have responded with uproar to the US attacks, but Mr Trump also faces criticism from within his own party, including prominent Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has spoken against the strikes.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, was among the US politicians to respond to Mr Trump’s announcement of “successful” attacks on Iran.

“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorisation is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said.

“He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump announced that he had ordered strikes to target Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites.

Mr Trump said American planes successfully departed Iranian airspace and were “safely on their way home”.

Mr Trump endured bipartisan backlash over the strikes, but so far, only Democrats have clamoured for impeachment despite some of them acknowledging that they lack the votes.

Republican Thomas Massie, who hasn’t been shy about splitting with Mr Trump in the past, simply declared: “This is not Constitutional.”