White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a sharp rebuke on Friday against the 53 House Democrats who voted against a resolution reaffirming Iran’s status as the world’s primary state sponsor of terrorism. Speaking on Fox News Channel’s America Reports, Leavitt suggested that political opposition to the current administration has compromised the legislative judgment of certain lawmakers.
The resolution, introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), passed on Thursday with a 372 to 53 margin. The document formally declares that the Islamic Republic of Iran remains the “largest state sponsor of terrorism” and continues to provide military and financial backing to groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
During the interview, co-host John Roberts noted a significant shift in voting patterns compared to a similar resolution three years ago, which passed 420 to 1. Leavitt highlighted this disparity, arguing that the increase in “no” votes from the Democratic caucus stems from a desire to undermine the executive branch.
“Nearly three years ago, in 2023, every single member of the House of Representatives, with the exception of one, voted together on this resolution,” Leavitt stated. She claimed that in 2026, some lawmakers have become “debilitated” by their opposition to President Trump, preventing them from endorsing what has historically been a bipartisan pillar of U.S. foreign policy.
Leavitt further asserted that the dissenting votes were an attempt to delegitimize the President’s recent actions in the Middle East aimed at protecting U.S. troops and bases.
The approved resolution cites several critical security concerns regarding the Iranian regime:
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Casualties: It references Pentagon data stating that Iranian-backed proxy militias are responsible for the deaths of at least 603 U.S. service members in Iraq.
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Nuclear Ambitions: It quotes International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi, noting that Iran has amassed a significant stockpile of enriched uranium and continues to restrict access to sites linked to its nuclear program.
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Direct Threat: The text concludes that Iran poses a “direct and persistent threat” to the United States and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American citizens.
Lawmakers who opposed the measure defended their positions by characterizing the resolution as a political tool. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) stated on social media that the resolution “contains inaccuracies” and was “designed to justify the President’s actions in Iran.”
Simon argued that while the classification of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism is already established U.S. policy, the specific wording of this resolution was an attempt by Congressional Republicans to “play politics” and surrender their constitutional oversight duties.
