White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized dozens of House Democrats after they voted against a resolution reaffirming that Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, calling the move politically motivated during an appearance on Fox News.
The vote took place in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, where lawmakers passed a resolution declaring that Iran “remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.” The measure passed overwhelmingly 372–53, with all opposing votes coming from Democrats.
The resolution was introduced by Brian Mast, a Republican representative from Florida. The measure argued that Iran continues to provide “financial and military support to groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis,” and therefore poses a continuing threat to the United States and its allies.
Under U.S. law, Iran has long been listed among the countries designated by the State Department as state sponsors of terrorism, a classification that enables sanctions and other restrictions against governments accused of repeatedly supporting terrorist activity.
During the interview, Fox News anchor John Roberts noted that a similar resolution several years earlier had passed Congress almost unanimously, drawing attention to the contrast with this week’s vote.
“This is not just a long-standing bipartisan policy of the United States,” Leavitt said. “Nearly every single country on the planet — especially Western countries — have agreed with this basic premise.”
She then criticized Democratic lawmakers who opposed the resolution.
“Now, in 2026, you have Democrats on Capitol Hill who have been so debilitated in their derangement and their hatred for the man in the Oval Office right now that they cannot even condemn the world’s leading state sponsor of terror,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt argued the vote reflected political divisions surrounding President Donald Trump and his administration’s actions in the Middle East.
“Why?” she asked. “Because they are trying desperately to undermine President Trump’s essential action that he took to protect the United States of America.”
Several Democrats who voted against the measure said their opposition did not reflect support for Iran but rather criticism of the resolution’s timing and intent.
Representative Lateefah Simon of California said the resolution was unnecessary because the U.S. government already classifies Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. She wrote on social media that the measure appeared “designed to justify the president’s actions in Iran” and accused Republicans of “playing politics” with the issue.
The vote occurred amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following recent U.S. military strikes against Iranian targets as part of a broader regional conflict. The campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, began in late February with U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
Debate in Congress over the military operation has been intense. Lawmakers have recently clashed over war-powers resolutions and congressional oversight of the conflict, with several Democrats arguing the administration should seek explicit authorization from Congress before expanding military action.
At the same time, other measures related to Iran have moved forward in Congress. Another vote in the House reaffirming Iran’s designation as a sponsor of terrorism passed alongside broader debates about U.S. strategy and involvement in the Middle East
Featured image via The Daily Glitch library
