North Carolina
North Carolina lawmakers share reactions following US strike on Iran
A day after the United States launched missile strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, North Carolina lawmakers are sharing their reactions.
“Clearly, Iran should never have a nuclear weapon. However, it is Congress’s responsibility to declare war. And I have been calling since last week for a high-level briefing of members of Congress for the Trump administration to explain to us exactly what’s going on and what they were going to do. Instead, they deceived the American public and they didn’t comply with the law or the Constitution,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross, a Democrat who represents the state’s 2nd District.
The strikes saw the United States utilize B-2 bombers to drop “bunker-buster” bombs on three sites: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Ross believes the President overstepped his authority in ordering the strikes, which a senior administration official tells ABC News he told Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to carry out on Saturday.
“It is very dangerous. It is unconstitutional. And frankly, it is unprecedented,” said Ross.
Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, a Democrat who represents the state’s 4th District, echoed Ross’ concern in a statement:
“Trump’s strikes in Iran without Congressional authorization is deeply irresponsible and unconstitutional. This escalation places our troops and diplomatic personnel in immediate and unnecessary danger, and risks implicating our nation in a potentially disastrous war.
“The President has severely overstepped his power by bypassing Congress, drawing our nation dangerously close to yet another war in the Middle East. Reckless military action taken without consultation or the proper authorization endangers both our national security and the lives of our brave servicemembers.
“Let me be clear: urgent de-escalation of this conflict is needed to save lives. We must act swiftly to reduce tensions and pursue a diplomatic path forward.”
RELATED | NC politicians, US lawmakers respond to US attack on Iranian nuclear sites
Ross expressed concern over a potential response from Iran.
“This regime is the most dangerous regime because they are back on their heels. They are angry. They have sworn that they want to destroy Israel and the United States. And now they are desperate, which means they could do anything, anything to our troops in the region, anything to our allies,” said Ross.
Congressman Don Davis, a Democrat and Air Force veteran who represents the state’s 1st District, released a statement on X:
Iran is the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism and must be prevented from developing nuclear weapons. A nuclear-armed Iran poses a dire threat not only to the United States but also to our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel, and the entire international community. We must not underestimate the danger Iran presents.
Congressman Mark Harris, a Republican who represents the 8th District, defended the President’s decision-making.
“I believe the president is the Commander-in-Chief. I believe that this was a one-off strike. I think he made that perfectly clear. He’s not calling for boots on the ground,” said Harris.
He cited Iran’s history in the region, including its role in backing proxy attacks.
“The president gave (Iran) a 60-day window to come to the table and talk, and they just continue to stonewall. And that seems to be their mode of operation is to put off and put off and put off while all the time getting closer and closer to being able to put a warhead, a nuclear warhead, on one of those missiles and fire it. I think the president recognizes that we had to do it,” said Harris.
Rep. Greg Murphy released a statement on X, writing:
The Islamic Republic of Iran and its terroristic mullahs have been a threat to peace in the Middle East, the United States, and the global community for decades. An Iran with a nuclear bomb gives birth to a world in jeopardy of cataclysmic destruction. President Trump worked to negotiate with the regime in good faith, however Ali Khamenei overplayed his hand and now must pay the price. May God protect the innocent lives at stake and the United States and Israel’s righteous efforts to put an end to the grievous bloodshed carried out by Iran and its jihadi proxies. God bless our servicemen safely on their way home tonight.
He further backed Trump’s decision in an exchange with fellow Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who had responded to the President’s announcement of the strike by writing on X: “This is not Constitutional.”
Congressman Chuck Edwards, a Republican who represents North Carolina’s 11th District, wrote on X:
In the wake of today’s strike on Iran, our unwavering support is with the brave men and women of our armed forces. They put their lives on the line not for recognition or reward, but out of a deep sense of duty to protect our nation and uphold peace and security around the world.
Congressman Richard Hudson, who represents the state’s 9th District and serves as the Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, wrote on X:
President Donald Trump has been consistent and resolute that Iran- the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism- will not be allowed to build a nuclear weapons capability. He negotiated in good faith and offered Iran peace in exchange for ending their nuclear ambition. Iran did not take President Trump seriously and they have learned tonight that was a mistake. It would be another mistake for Iran to retaliate against Americans anywhere in the world. I support President Trump, I stand with Israel and I pray for the safety of our brave men and women in uniform around the world. America leads with resolve, and the world is safer when we do.
Congressman David Rouzer, a Republican who represents the state’s 7th District, shared a screenshot of the President’s announcement on Truth Social of the strikes, writing on X:
I commend President Trump for taking decisive and resolute action to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Regardless of any Iranian response which may occur, the President and those in our great military responsible for successfully carrying out this difficult mission have provided a meaningful opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East and safety to the United States and our allies.
Congressman Addison McDowell, a Republican who represents the state’s 6th District, also shared a screenshot of the President’s announcement on Truth Social of the strikes, writing on X:
President Trump protects America and our interests: A nuclear Iran was never an option. God bless America and the brave men and women who serve our nation.
Congressman Brad Knott, a Republican who represents the state’s 13th District, wrote on X:
Our prayers and gratitude are with the United States Armed Forces. My plea for the nation of Iran remains the same: now is the time to reorient and work for peace. The condition has been clear for decades under presidents of both parties: there cannot be a nuclear-armed Iran. Our President means what he says and has worked tirelessly to secure peace with Iran. Across America, now is the time to put politics aside and unite on a bipartisan basis in support of the President as commander-in-chief of our armed services. President Trump has now given Iran’s regime an opportunity to turn the page, end its nuclear ambitions, and instead embrace peace and prosperity for the people of Iran.
Congressman Tim Moore, a Republican who represents the state’s 14th District, wrote on X:
Iran’s radical regime is a threat to freedom everywhere and has spent decades spreading terror across the globe. President Trump made clear that any attack on Americans or our allies would be met with overwhelming force. May God bless and protect our troops as we confront the evil of Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis wrote on X:
This was the right decision by @POTUS. We cannot allow Iran to build nuclear weapons. God Bless our brave servicemembers who supported and executed this mission.
Republican Senator Ted Budd wrote on X:
Tonight, the United States dealt a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. military alone had the capability to destroy these facilities deep underground, and I commend President Trump for standing with our Israeli allies in their efforts to end the threat of a nuclear Iran once and for all. May God bless and protect our troops, who continue to keep us safe around the world.
Nationally, lawmakers have shared a range of reactions to the strikes.
During his address Saturday night, President Trump addressed the impact of the strikes.
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” said Trump.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also used the term “obliterated” in describing Iran’s nuclear ambitions during a press conference at the Pentagon Sunday morning.
However, other officials have used different language, including General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who also spoke at Sunday’s press conference.
“I know that battle damage is of great interest. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.
Former CIA officer, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and ABC News contributor Michael “Mick” Mulroy estimates that the U.S. military operation “likely set back the Iranian nuclear weapons program 2-5 years,” based on the type and amount of munitions used, but told ABC News that the full battle damage assessment will give a more accurate determination.
“(The) President made it clear he’s not about creating war. He’s about ending wars, and he wants to see peace in that region. There wasn’t ever going to be peace as long as there was the threat of a nuclear Iran, and we hope that’s been removed now,” said Harris.
Ross is calling for more communication prior to any further decisions.
“Two things must happen immediately. Number one, we must have a confidential, high-level security briefing because any further action requires Congress to take action. And number two, and this is something I am hopeful for, but I’m not holding my breath, we need to have bipartisan cooperation in looking at what this Congress will authorize going forward,” said Ross.
ABC News contributed to this report.
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North Carolina
‘Bonsai in the Blue Ridge’ exhibit brings dozens of displays to North Carolina Arboretum
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Arboretum will host a bonanza of bonsai this week with “Bonsai in the Blue Ridge,” a limited-time exhibition of more than 50 living sculptures as part of the American Bonsai Society’s Learning Seminar 2026.
Between June 4-7, arboretum visitors can explore the exhibits for a $5 admission fee, along with the arboretum’s regular parking fee. A press release from the arboretum said there will also be opportunities to register for seminars, workshops and tours led by bonsai artists for an additional cost.
GROWING YOUR GARDEN? PLENTY OF PLANTS FOR PURCHASE AT THE ARBORETUM’S SPRING SALE
“The American Bonsai Society brings together people who share a passion for bonsai. Through world-class publications and events such as the Learning Seminars, ABS promotes and educates, sharing techniques that showcase North American artistic expression and encouraging the use of plant species that grow well in the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” ABS Convention Chair Scott Barboza said in a written statement.
FILE IMAGE of a bonsai plant that is part of the North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden. (Photo: North Carolina Arboretum)
Bonsai is the ancient art of shaping trees over time to create miniature living sculptures. The North Carolina Arboretum is no stranger to the art, having established the Bonsai Exhibition Garden in 2005, which showcases up to 50 specimens of traditional Asian bonsai subjects, tropical plants, American species and plants native to the Blue Ridge region.
IKEBANA INTERNATIONAL ASHEVILLE STAGES FLORAL DESIGN EXHIBITION AT NC ARBORETUM
“Bonsai in the Blue Ridge” takes place 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 7.
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See a full schedule of events for this week’s seminar at americanbonsaisociety.org.
The Greenville Police Department joined community leaders in Pitt County this week to promote safe firearm storage as part of North Carolina’s annual NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action, the Greenville Police Department said.
In a statement, the Greenville Police Department thanked NC S.A.F.E. and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for the opportunity to help educate residents about responsible firearm storage practices.
We want to thank NC S.A.F.E. and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for allowing us to help relay to the community the importance of safely securing firearms so that we can avoid tragedies in the future!
The local event follows Gov. Josh Stein’s proclamation recognizing June 1-7 as NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action.
According to Gov. Stein’s office, the campaign aims to encourage gun owners to securely store firearms and make safety resources more widely available across North Carolina.
An unlocked gun is a tragedy waiting to happen, and too often, it does,” said Governor Josh Stein. “NC S.A.F.E Week is a reminder to all of us about the measures we can all take to keep ourselves and the people we love safe.
Safe firearm storage is one of the simplest steps we can take to prevent tragedies before they happen,” said North Carolina Department of Public Safety Deputy Secretary William Lassiter Lassiter. “NC S.A.F.E. is increasing awareness around secure firearm storage and making safety resources more accessible to help reduce preventable injuries and build safer communities throughout our state.
North Carolina
The Real Reason North Carolina’s GOP Is Proposing the Most Radical Anti-Abortion Bill Yet
Another anti-abortion abolitionist proposal has been in the news. This time, conservative lawmakers in North Carolina have asked voters to approve a state constitutional amendment recognizing the personhood of embryos and establishing that anyone who ends an embryonic life is guilty of first-degree murder. Those penalties might also apply to people pursuing in vitro fertilization or using some contraceptives, given that abortion foes sometimes view either as requiring the taking of unborn life. And that’s the most ordinary part of the proposal: The bill also provides that private individuals have a right to use deadly force to prevent “the willful destruction of life.” House Bill 1232 isn’t clear about exactly who could exercise this constitutional right to vigilante violence. Would it just be available to those seeking to kill abortion providers and patients? Or might it apply even more broadly to those seen to aid them?
The bill has been greeted with bafflement and disbelief. One of its co-sponsors was embarrassed enough to remove his name from the proposal. But the idea of licensing private violence did not come out of thin air. There have been decades of debate about the use of force within the anti-abortion movement. And as conservatives embrace an increasingly punitive agenda, old justifications for violence have reemerged.
Since the 1960s, abortion foes have rallied around the idea that constitutional rights begin the moment an egg is fertilized. That meant that liberal abortion laws would violate the federal Constitution. Because that claim didn’t gain traction in the federal courts, abortion opponents didn’t have to settle what it would mean in practice to enforce this idea of personhood. Did it require that abortion be punished as murder, or that women be punished? Might it instead require more support for women during pregnancy?
By the 1980s, as the anti-abortion movement aligned with the Republican Party, the movement’s leaders increasingly retooled their ideas of justice for the unborn to fit the GOP’s tough-on-crime agenda. They endorsed fetal homicide laws and backed prosecutions based on conduct during pregnancy. But these moves didn’t lead to the reversal of Roe, much less a decline in the abortion rate.
Frustration led to a wave of lawbreaking. Operation Rescue, a clinic blockade group, invited supporters to use civil disobedience and break the law if necessary to stop people from entering abortion clinics. Operation Rescue disrupted the Democratic National Convention in 1992 and recorded thousands of arrests. Blockaders even developed a legal argument to justify their actions, drawing on the common law defense of necessity, which allows someone to break a law to achieve a greater moral good.
Some advocates went further. If abortion really were the murder of an equal person, they asked, why wasn’t it justified to use deadly force to protect that equal person?
Prominent figures in the late 1980s and early 1990s elaborated on that argument in books and talk-show appearances. The claim justified kidnappings, firebombings, and a series of murders of doctors, clinic staff, and security. Powerful anti-abortion groups denounced the violence, but the question of deadly force struck others as surprisingly complex. If a fertilized egg was an equal person, and if the way to protect that person involved violence, why was deadly force off limits?
While violence against abortion clinics and providers never went away, it receded from the peak of the 1980s and early 1990s. The federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which heightened penalties for threats, violence, and obstruction of people entering facilities, radically undercut the clinic blockade movement when Congress passed it in 1994. So did the conviction of high-profile murder defendants like Michael Griffin and Paul Hill. The clinic blockade movement was consumed by internal divides, with multiple organizations even claiming the name Operation Rescue. Anti-abortion leaders mostly focused on change through the courts and politics.
Now that Roe is gone, the movement is at an inflection point. Personhood has become the movement’s new North Star. And while success in the federal courts isn’t imminent, there is now no reason a state couldn’t enforce any vision of personhood. That means that conservatives have to decide what they mean by enforcing the rights of the unborn. This bill is a sign that even punishing women doesn’t strike some as harsh enough.
This bill won’t pass. For starters, North Carolina is not the most likely state to pass any abortion abolitionist bill; at the moment, it doesn’t even ban abortion from the moment of fertilization. And no state has yet passed any kind of abolitionist proposal, much less one allowing people to gun one another down in the name of protecting life.
But this bill has a different resonance now that Donald Trump has pledged not to enforce the FACE Act in the abortion context except in the most extreme circumstances. It is also a reminder of how the Overton window on personhood is shifting. Abolitionists who call for the punishment of women are gaining influence in state legislatures and movement debates. They have developed their own incremental approach: In South Carolina, for example, Richard Cash, a powerful lawmaker, tried this session to advance a bill punishing women for abortion, but only for a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. The bill became the second abolitionist proposal to pass through a committee this spring before time ran out to pass it this session.
Leading anti-abortion groups still speak out against abolitionists, but their strategy is clear: normalizing the idea of punishing women. The more extreme proposals conservatives advance, the more previously unthinkable ideas become politically realistic.
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