The government shutdown prevents congressional committees from holding hearings or demanding briefings about the strikes.

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During shutdowns, congressional committee staff are furloughed without pay and can't organize hearings, process classified materials, or coordinate member briefings. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees need staff to schedule witnesses, prepare questions, review intelligence, and write oversight reports. With staff gone, committees can't compel testimony or hold public hearings. This creates an oversight vacuum: the Pentagon continues operating while Congress can't exercise its constitutional "power of the purse" or war powers authority. Trump publicly supported the shutdown while simultaneously escalating military strikes, timing that maximizes executive power and minimizes congressional checks.

The government shutdown prevents congressional committees from holding hearings or demanding briefings about the strikes.

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