Senator Marco Rubio held a closed-door briefing for the Gang of 8 on potential Iran strikes between 10:45 PM and 11:15 PM UTC on February 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C., with no members emerging to demand congressional approval, according to Capitol Lens reported by Roll Call. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated the administration must make its case to the American people, as quoted by Farnoush Amiri. Schumer, the top Democratic leader and ranking member on intelligence, made the comment ahead of the briefing, emphasizing the importance of public justification for any action, per Amiri's post at an unspecified time within the 29-minute window. No Gang of 8 members have publicly called for congressional authorization following the session, Roll Call noted in its update. This briefing occurs amid ongoing congressional debates over Iran war powers, following Democrats' earlier efforts to block a vote on the Khanna-Massie resolution that would record positions on President Trump's potential regime change actions, as reported in prior coverage by Aida Chavez citing Capital and Empire.
