US Senate rejects bid to rein in Trump's authority over Iran war
The US Senate on Thursday rejected a symbolic war powers resolution to limit President Donald Trump's authority to wage war in Iran, by a 49-50 vote, the second time in two weeks the chamber has considered such legislation.
The US Senate on Thursday voted down a war powers resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military operations in Iran. The measure failed 49-50, the narrowest possible margin. This was the second time in two weeks the Senate took up legislation to force Trump to end hostilities.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans against the resolution. Three Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky – crossed party lines to support the measure. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was absent, still recovering from a fall in June.
The Iran war began on February 28 when Trump, together with Israel, launched a military operation that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Since then, at least 18 US service members have been killed and over 450 wounded, according to Pentagon figures. Iran responded by striking US bases and allied targets across the Gulf region and disrupting oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a global energy shock.
A June ceasefire collapsed within weeks, and fighting resumed in July with a nearly two-week escalation. The Pentagon has told Congress it needs roughly $80 billion more to sustain the war effort, on top of over $37 billion already spent.
A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about two-thirds of US adults believe the war has not been worthwhile, with only 33% saying it was worth fighting. Among Republicans, 37% considered it worthwhile.
Before the vote, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged colleagues to support the resolution, arguing the war was straining household budgets and that Congress had the constitutional authority to end it immediately.
Unlike the Senate, the House of Representatives has twice passed a symbolic resolution calling on Trump to end the war, most recently in late July by 214-208. However, that resolution is non-binding.
