As the war rages, McCormick worries about terrorists, says U.S. should avoid Iranian governance

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick has strongly supported President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, but he also warned Monday that the conflict “poses a threat here at home.”

During a visit to two Conshohocken technology companies, the Pennsylvania Republican said that Iran has “proxies in the United States” who could put American lives at risk.

“I am worried about it because of all the underwriting of terrorism Iran has done,” McCormick said in wide-ranging remarks on the war and the role of the United States will play in Iran’s future once the shelling has stopped.

McCormick first toured Syzygy Integration, which develops software and communications systems for military, homeland security, and public-safety operations. He then visited ZeroEyes, a technology company founded by Navy SEALs in response to the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

ZeroEyes has developed artificial intelligence software that detects firearms being brandished by potential shooters. Both companies occupy Spring Mill, a historic industrial building.

In discussing possible terrorist threats, McCormick criticized congressional Democrats for withholding funding to the Department of Homeland Security.

“We should pass the appropriations for Homeland Security and take steps to mitigate the [terrorism] risk,” McCormick said.

Democrats have been calling for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol before they’ll pass more funding for DHS, which oversees the two agencies, following the fatal shootings of two American civilians in Minnesota by federal agents earlier this year.

But the decision to withhold funding also affects the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Coast Guard.

TSA employees are continuing to work without pay during the partial shutdown, while ICE continues to operate with funding from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Democrats have said the war won’t dissuade them from their stance, NBC News has reported.

Despite his support for the war, McCormick said it’s “not America’s responsibility to fix Iran” when asked about the role the U.S. should play in the country’s future governance after the strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s leader.

Citing Iraq, where McCormick served as an Army officer during the first Gulf War in 1991, the senator said “we’re all scarred” by 20 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We can’t own responsibility for the future governance of Iran,” he said. “And I don’t think the president wants that.”

McCormick and other Senate Republicans voted down a Democratic-led war powers resolution last week, which would have blocked Trump from carrying out additional attacks against Iran without congressional approval. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) was the only Democrat to vote against it.

McCormick said a lesson of Iraq is the need for our nation to exercise “humility” in conducting foreign military interventions, because Iraq “turned into a disaster.”

The senator briefly discussed the mission facing DHS and Sen. Markwayne Mullin, newly nominated for secretary of Homeland Security after Kristi Noem was fired by Trump after weeks of backlash against the department following the Minnesota operation.

McCormick stressed the importance of restoring public confidence in the U.S. government.

He said that ICE should continue is mission “consistent with the law,” but should also be “constantly reviewing its actions and making sure it’s in a state of constant improvement.”