AMNA NAWAZ: Well, for more now on how the White# House and Congress are responding to the strikes,## I'm joined now by our White House correspondent,## Liz Landers, and our congressional# correspondent, Lisa Desjardins.

So, Liz, kick us off here.

We saw# President Trump make his first public## appearance today since the war began# over the weekend.

What did he say?

LIZ LANDERS: Right.

This was the first public event that the#president has had since this started.

It#was a Medal of Honor ceremony that he had# in the East Room of the White House.

And,## as Nick pointed out in his reporting there, we# really heard for the first time the objectives## that the administration, that the president# is laying out here for these attacks on Iran.

However, the way that the president has gone# about explaining this to the public has been## nontraditional.

He and his allies like to# say he's a nontraditional president.

We## have seen these TRUTH Social videos that# he has recorded and posted over the last## few days.

He's also done a number# of phone calls with journalists.

He's talked with CNN, "The Atlantic."

And# earlier today, he spoke with The New York## Post and saying something that would# impact a lot of people, of course, is,## he was asked if he would send U.S.

troops on# the ground there to the region.

And he said,## if they were necessary, so not ruling that out.

Reporters in the room trying to ask questions# of him as he left.

I tried to ask a question## of the president.

He did not talk to# reporters today at the White House.

AMNA NAWAZ: As you know, Liz, this is# a president who ran on an America-first## platform, no new foreign wars.

How is# all of this resonating with his base?

LIZ LANDERS: This was a huge part# of why people liked him.

And when## I reported on the 2016, 2020, and 2024 campaigns,## a lot of the MAGA base said that they really# supported this part of the president's agenda.

Today, we're seeing some backlash from some of# these MAGA conservative voices and commentators.## People like Tucker Carlson called the attack# -- quote -- "absolutely disgusting and evil"## in an interview over the weekend.

We also# heard from former Congresswoman Marjorie## Taylor Greene, a very close former# ally of the president, no longer.

She said on X, she said: "We voted# for America-first and zero wars."

He is getting some defense, though, from# far right activists like Laura Loomer,## who we know she does talk to the president# occasionally.

She is defending these actions.## But when you also look more broadly at how# the American public is responding to this,## we're starting to get some polling.

Reuters and Ipsos did a poll post these attacks.# It showed that only 27 per.. approved of the U.S.

strikes that killed# Iran's leader; 43 percent disapproved of## the Iran strikes; 29 percent said that they were# not sure.

More than half, 56 percent of Americans,## said that they believe that the president# is too willing to use military force.

So, Amna, the president definitely still has# some selling to do to the American public.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Lisa, that's where the# American public is.

What about Congress,## the branch responsible for war?

Where# are they on the U.S.

attacks in Iran?

LISA DESJARDINS: As Nick reported,## Secretary of State Rubio was up on the Hill# talking .. And I want to point out something he# said to the press before he went in.## He made the argument that the president not# only doesn't need authority from Congress,## but he didn't even need to# notify all of Congress.

Listen.

MARCO RUBIO, U.S.

Secretary of State: There's# no law that requires the president to have done## anything with regards to this.

To begin with, no# president, presidential administration has ever## accepted the War Powers Act as constitutional, not# Republican presidents, not Democratic presidents.

That said, we have followed the notification# at 48 hours, and we're here today.

LISA DESJARDINS: Now, the War Powers Act is not## just significant because of# the notification requirement,## but because it limits presidents to having this# kind of conflict power for just 60 to 90 days.

And what Rubio is saying here is what other# presidents said before.

They're ignoring,## that he's going to keep this up as long as# they want.

Now, as for Congress themselves,## it was remarkable that he said this just# days before we expect a vote in the House## over whether Congress should block action# in Iran without congressional approval.

It is a tough vote, especially for some Democrats.# There are some very pro-Israel Democrats that are## nervous about the situation.

They want to support# Israel.

There are others who are Article I kind## of constitutionalist Democrats that are# not sure what to do and on the front line.

Right now, I don't think that# has the votes to pass the House,## but it is going to be a vote to watch.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, we know DHS funding# is in question right now.

There's a## government -- partial government shutdown.# Will the Iran action impact that at all?

LISA DESJARDINS: The short answer is# no.

It doesn't seem to be.

Democrats## are still digging in.

They say we may have# something overseas that we need to pay very## close attention to that's significant, but# that doesn't change the issues that we have.

Now, what could change is when more people start## missing paychecks.

That is# still a week-and-a-half away.

AMNA NAWAZ: Lisa Desjardins,# Liz Landers, thank you so much.