White House says ‘Gang of Eight’ was briefed prior to the US-Israeli strike on Iran

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Mario Rubio reportedly spoke with seven of the eight members of Congress known as the “Gang of Eight” shortly before the U.S. and Israel conducted a military strike on Iran. 

President Donald Trump said it was a massive operation to destroy the country’s military capabilities and eliminate the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it would defend its homeland, and its Revolutionary Guard said it launched counterattacks, firing drones and missiles at Israel and strikes aimed at U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Whenever military attacks by the U.S. are imminent, a group of eight party leaders from the House and Senate is briefed. They’re known as the Gang of Eight. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the update on X shortly before noon Eastern on Saturday. 

“Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members,” Leavitt stated.

Rubio met with the group Tuesday for roughly an hour, with several Democrats apparently sharing publicly that they were unsettled by what they heard. 

When asked about details from their meeting during a press briefing, Rubio refused to comment on the specifics of what was discussed, but he did agree that the rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran were “concerning.” 

“What’s happening with Iran is very concerning. It’s been very concerning for 40-something years, and it’s become increasingly concerning as they have increased their weapon capabilities, so I don’t think that’s a mystery to anyone that Iran is of deep concern,” Rubio said. “Multiple administrations have confronted this threat. The threat has simply grown over time in terms of how they have been able to extend the reach of their missiles. And their insistence – their blind insistence – on being able to enrich and enrich in these hidden locations make you even more uncomfortable.”  

Rubio designated Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention” on Friday, calling on the Iranian regime to “stop taking hostages and release all Americans unjustly detained in Iran.” 

The Gang of Eight is a group of eight leaders from the U.S. House and Senate who have been designated to receive briefings from the executive branch when attacks by the U.S. are imminent. 

The group may be notified when the president or executive branch deems it “essential” to limit access to a covert action finding in order to “meet extraordinary circumstances affecting vital interests of the United States,” according the U.S. Code.

Covert action is defined in Title 50 of the U.S. Code as “an activity or activities of the United States Government to influence political, economic, or military conditions abroad, where it is intended that the role of the United States will not be apparent or acknowledged publicly.” 

The following members of Congress make up the Gang of Eight, as of Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. 

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York
• House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York
• Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas
• Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia
• Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Arkansas
• Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut

Cotton serves as the chair and Warner the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Crawford serves as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, while Himes serves as the ranking member.