Senate rejects resolution to limit hostilities in Iran

WASHINGTON- Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a war powers resolution aimed at withdrawing U.S. forces from hostilities in Iran, as the Trump administration accelerates its military campaign in a conflict that has left hundreds dead, including at least six U.S. service members.

The motion failed by a vote of 47 to 53.

In addition to withdrawing military assets from the Middle East, the measure – introduced by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) – would have required explicit congressional approval before future engagement with Iran, a power granted to the legislative branch in the Constitution.

The House, where Republicans also hold an advantage, is expected to vote on a similar measure Thursday. Even if both Democratic-led measures were to succeed, President Trump would largely be expected to veto the legislation.

“We’re doing very well on the war front, to put it mildly,” President Trump said at a White House event Wednesday afternoon. The president, who has faced criticism for offering shifting explanations for the war’s end, said that if asked to take the U.S. military operation from one to 10, he would give it a 15.

Democrats dispute that Trump has the authority to carry out the ongoing operation in Iran without explicit approval from Congress.

Recognizing that the measure was unlikely to succeed, they presented the vote as a strategy to force lawmakers to officially declare their support or opposition to the war.

“Today, every senator – everyone – will choose a side,” Schumer said. “Do you stand with the American people who are exhausted by the forever wars in the Middle East, or with Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth as they push us headfirst into another war? »

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) and most of his Republican colleagues argued that the president carried out a “preemptive” and “defensive” strike in Iran, giving him full authority to continue unilateral military operations.

Republicans saw the vote as the “final obstacle” preventing Trump from carrying out his mission against the Islamic Republic.

“I think the president has the authority he needs to conduct the activities and operations that are currently underway there. There are a lot of controversies and questions around the War Powers Act, but I think the president is acting in the best interest of the nation and our national security interests,” Thune said at a news conference.

Senators largely stuck to their party loyalties, with the exception of Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, who broke ranks to support the measure, and Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, who opposed it.

The vote comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the war against Iran is “accelerating,” with U.S. and Israeli forces expanding their air operations into Iranian territory. He highlighted evidence released by U.S. Central Command of an underwater strike against an Iranian warship, and also welcomed other strikes in the region as civilian casualties in Iran topped 1,000 on the fourth day of the conflict, according to rights groups.

“We’re going to continue to do well,” Trump said Wednesday. “We have by far the largest army in the world and that has posed a huge threat to us for many years. For forty-seven years they have been killing our people and killing people all over the world, and we have great support.”

Republicans blocked a similar vote on war powers in January after the president ordered U.S. special forces to capture and extradite Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to Caracas on drug trafficking charges.

GOP leaders argued that the outcome of this mission amounted to early success in the Middle East, despite an uncertain timeline from the Defense Department.

In the House, lawmakers will vote Thursday on a separate war powers effort. This bill is led by Rep. Ro Khanna (Democrat of California) and Rep. Thomas Massie (Republican of Kentucky), the two lawmakers who authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

“Instead of sending billions abroad, we need to invest in jobs, healthcare and education here,” Khanna said on X.

In addition to that proposal, moderate Democrats in the House introduced a separate resolution that would give the administration 30 days to justify continued hostilities in the Middle East before requiring a formal declaration of war or authorization from Congress.