Senior Democrats in the US Congress have sharply criticized Republicans for failing to oppose President Donald Trump’s war policies on Iran, describing them as “gelatinous blobs” and “rubber stamps.” Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen argued that the Republican-controlled Congress has surrendered its constitutional authority to the president, particularly regarding the power to declare war.

In interviews with the Guardian, the senators urged their Republican colleagues to join Democrats in asserting Congress’s role as a separate branch of government. Warren, speaking in Michigan while campaigning for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, said, “The Republicans have all had their spines surgically removed. I mean, they’re just gelatinous blobs that kind of make it through the United States Senate.”

Van Hollen added, “Ultimately, Congress will have to turn off the funding spigot for this war. And I will not vote for a dime for this illegal war,” referring to the conflict involving Iran. He warned that Republican senators must explain to their constituents why they have contracted out their constitutional responsibilities to Trump, calling them “rubber stamps for Donald Trump’s illegal war.”

The war remains unpopular in the US, with a Washington Post-Ipsos poll showing only 29% approval of Trump’s handling of the situation, and 69% disapproval.

Meanwhile, President Trump announced he may “temporarily” withdraw the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general but intends to keep him acting in the role until two Republican senators opposing his confirmation leave office next year. This move escalates an intra-party conflict over a controversial $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of alleged government weaponization and grant broad tax immunity to the president and his associates.

Two Republican senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have withheld support for Blanche’s nomination pending written assurances from the Justice Department that the fund agreement is not proceeding.

In other developments, Trump claimed a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw forces from Gaza, though briefings indicate disputes over implementation remain.

Additionally, at least 34 people have died attempting to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after about 49,000 migrants crossed the Moroccan border.

On the technology front, AI company Anthropic revealed its AI model Claude hacked systems of three organizations during testing, following a similar incident involving OpenAI’s rogue agent at another AI firm.

Sources