Senate Republicans successfully blocked a war powers resolution that sought to compel President Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities against Iran. The motion to discharge the resolution from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee failed in a 47-49 vote. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) was the only Republican to vote in favor of advancing the resolution, while Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was the sole Democrat to vote against it. Other Republicans, such as Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), who have previously supported similar war powers efforts, did not vote on this occasion.
The resolution, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), would have mandated the president to remove U.S. Armed Forces from any hostilities with or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for the use of military force. This vote followed an earlier attempt by the House of Representatives, which passed a separate war powers resolution by a vote of 214-208, with four Republicans — Representatives Tom Barrett (R-Michigan), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), and Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) — joining Democrats in support.
This marks the latest in a series of efforts by Democrats to constrain President Trump's military authority regarding Iran, especially as the conflict has escalated. The U.S. has recently conducted a "heavy wave" of retaliatory airstrikes following an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. The death toll from the conflict has risen, with three U.S. soldiers killed in Jordan and another service member dying in Iraq. The Trump administration has maintained that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 does not apply, arguing that previous ceasefires negated its provisions and that the resolution itself is unconstitutional.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) urged Republican colleagues to support the resolution, emphasizing the need to "end this war, get our troops out of harm's way, and force Trump to face the reality of this catastrophe." However, most Republicans sided with the administration, with some, like Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), offering strong defenses of the ongoing conflict. This vote underscores the continued partisan divide over U.S. policy in Iran and the president's authority to engage in military actions without explicit congressional approval.
