The United States’ attack on three nuclear facilities in Iran on Saturday sent shock waves throughout Boston and Massachusetts.
Several members of the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation criticized the attacks and President Donald Trump’s handling of them.
In a statement, Senator Ed Markey called the attack illegal and unconstitutional.
“This attack was not approved by Congress and holds dangers for all Americans,” Markey said. “The American people do not want another endless war in the Middle East.”
Markey also said that a diplomatic solution remains the best way to permanently and verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at a town hall in Pittsfield on Saturday morning, Senator Elizabeth Warren warned that President Trump was dragging the U.S. into war with Iran.
“Our service members who volunteer to give so much have a right to know that the president of the United States values their lives and sends them into harm’s way only when we clearly have a plan and understanding of what our goals our and how this protects the United States of America,” Warren said in a video of the town hall she posted to X after the attacks.
Warren also contended that the attacks were unconstitutional and vowed to fight in opposition, calling for a vote in the U.S. Senate to immediately prevent another war.
U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, the Democratic House Whip, noted that the power to declare war resides solely with Congress under the U.S. Constitution.
The power to declare war resides solely with Congress. Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to attack Iran is unauthorized and unconstitutional.
— Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) June 22, 2025
In doing so, the President has exposed our military and diplomatic personnel in the region to the risk of further escalation.
The…
“Trump’s unilateral decision to attack Iran is unauthorized and unconstitutional,” Clark’s post said. “In doing so, the President has exposed our military and diplomatic personnel in the region to the risk of further escalation.”
In a statement, Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale said that the MassGOP commended the president’s decision to use military force in Iran.
Protesters in Boston held a very different view.
Hundreds of people gathered on Boston Common on Sunday to rally against Trump’s decision to bomb the Iranian nuclear sites.
Brian Garvey, executive director of Massachusetts Peace Action, spoke of the burden that another military action in the Middle East will have on American citizens.
“People are worried about making rent. People are delaying starting a family, getting married, buying homes,” Garvey said. “And year after year, we pour more into these stupid, illegal and costly wars.”
After the gathering on the Common, the protesters marched through downtown Boston, making their way to City Hall Plaza.
Liam Quinn was a part of that march. He agreed that the bombing was counterproductive to the needs of everyday citizens.
“This is not what we need. We need health care. We need affordable housing,” Quinn said. “Not more trillion dollar [expletive] wars, for no good reason.”
The strikes were a shock to one local family with Iranian roots.
Soheil Fathi co-owns La Saison bakery, which has locations in Cambridge and Charlestown. He was born and raised in Iran and described news of the strikes as frustrating and scary, and is hoping for a diplomatic solution.
“I don’t think no one is gonna benefit from this,” Fathi said. “Not Israeli people, not Iranian people, not even American people. No one’s gonna benefit from this. And when I talked with people back in Iran ... everybody’s just like shocked. Everybody’s like, 'We don’t get the concept, why are we doing this?’”
