ACLU – March 13, 2026

Every day that President Trump continues waging an illegal war in Iran, the costs climb higher.

As of this morning, at least eleven U.S. service members and nearly two thousand civilians – including children – have been killed in this illegal war. Reports say thousands more have been wounded.

Climbing gas prices. A worsening affordability crisis. Billions of taxpayer dollars spent on munitions. And this is just the beginning.

It hasn’t even been a week since Congress refused to stop President Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran. Yet the costs are already skyrocketing – and the American people are expected to foot the bill. But this disgraceful vote does not change the fact that the president is violating the Constitution by going to war without Congress’s authorization. And it certainly does not silence the millions of Americans who oppose it.

It’s on Congress to make sure that the Pentagon does not get another cent of our money for this illegal war. Tell Congress to do its job and block any additional funding for this unconstitutional war.

By launching a war against Iran, Trump violated the Constitution, flouted the will of the American people, and has put millions of lives at risk.

He did all of this illegally because only Congress can declare or authorize war.

And given the high human and economic costs, going to war requires advance congressional approval – a step that the president continues to blatantly ignore. That is why the ACLU signed on to a letter alongside more than 250 groups demanding Congress vote against any additional funding for President Trump’s unconstitutional war.

Because President Trump can’t keep dodging the Constitution – and Congress can’t keep dodging its responsibility. This illegal war reportedly cost over $11 billion in taxpayer money in just the first week, and when they run out of funds to keep it going, they’ll turn to our representatives in Congress to give them more of our money.

Congress must refuse to give another cent to fund this unauthorized, unconstitutional war. It’s time for our legislators to listen to the people and shut this illegal war down.

Our members of Congress must answer to their constituents. Urge your lawmakers to oppose any bill that funds President Trump’s unconstitutional war.

Thank you for joining us in action today,

Chris Anders
Pronouns: He, him, his
Director, ACLU Democracy and Technology Division

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American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA