Host Bill Maher tricked Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who was invited to discuss the U.S. strikes on Iran, into believing Obama's justification for the military action was in the national interest. Maher read from a Department of Justice memorandum opinion on presidential authorization to use military force and asked Schiff if this reasoning was sufficient. Schiff initially mistook the quote for being from the Trump administration and justified it by discussing another debate during the Obama presidency over potential military action in Syria. Schiff argued that Congress must reassert its constitutional authority over decisions to go to war during Trump's administration but never criticized the statement made.