News + Press
News + Press
News + Press
Statement from West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin on President Trump’s War with Iran
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2026
Charleston, WV — West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s military action against Iran:
“The Iranian regime is a brutal and repressive government that has denied its own people fundamental freedoms and has engaged in destabilizing interference throughout the Middle East. Its support for proxy militias, its hostility toward democratic values, and its disregard for human rights have inflicted suffering both within its borders and across the region. We stand with the Iranian people—millions of whom simply want the opportunity to live free, safe, and dignified lives without fear of repression.
But acknowledging the brutality of the Iranian regime does not absolve President Trump of his responsibility to act with clarity, honesty, and strategic foresight when contemplating war. The American people deserve consistent leadership rooted in truth. Just eight months ago, President Trump claimed that the United States had ‘completely obliterated Iran’s nuclear program, setting it back years.’ If that claim was accurate, then what is the justification for launching armed action against Iran now on the basis of its nuclear threat? And if it was not accurate, then the American people were misled. Either way, the President’s contradictory statements severely undermine his credibility at a moment when clarity and trust are essential.
War is the gravest decision a nation can make. It cannot be entered recklessly, impulsively, or without a clearly defined strategy and an honest accounting of the consequences. At this moment, there is no clear explanation of what the President’s objectives are, what the endgame looks like, or what comes next. The American people—and especially the men and women in uniform who bear the burden of these decisions—deserve answers.
Congress must immediately exercise its constitutional oversight responsibilities. The Constitution does not grant any President unchecked authority to wage war without accountability. The people’s elected representatives have a duty to demand transparency, to debate the justification for military action, and to ensure that any use of force serves a legitimate, clearly defined national interest.
History has taught us that regime change cannot be imposed through American military action. Lasting political transformation must come from within, driven by the Iranian people themselves. Military intervention risks strengthening hardliners, inflaming regional tensions, and prolonging suffering rather than bringing freedom.
Ultimately, only diplomacy—not bombs—can produce lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. The United States must lead with strength, but also with wisdom, consistency, and respect for the rule of law. The stakes are too high for reckless decisions, shifting justifications, or leadership that the American people cannot trust.
West Virginians believe in peace through strength, accountability through democracy, and leadership grounded in truth. That is what this moment demands.”
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