Republicans call off vote on Iran war resolution : NPR

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference Thursday, May 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Mariam Zuhaib/AP

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WASHINGTON — Republicans struggled Thursday to find the votes needed to reject legislation that would force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, delaying scheduled votes on the issue in June.

The House had scheduled a vote on a war powers resolution, introduced by Democrats, that would curb Trump’s military campaign. But as it became clear that Republicans would not have the numbers to reject the bill, Republican Party leaders refused to vote on it. It’s the latest sign of waning congressional support for a war that Trump launched more than two months ago without congressional approval.

“We got votes without a doubt and they knew it, and as a result they are playing a political game,” said Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, who sponsored the bill.

Senate Republicans are also working to ensure they have the votes to reject another war powers resolution that came up for a final vote earlier this week, when four Republican senators supported the resolution and three others were absent from the vote.

The actions of congressional leaders have shown that Republicans are struggling to maintain political support for Trump’s handling of the war. Rank-and-file Republicans are increasingly willing to challenge the president on the conflict.

House Republican Leader Steve Scalise told reporters the vote was delayed to give absent lawmakers a chance to vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson did not respond to reporters’ questions as he left the House.

Frustration over Iran war grows on Capitol Hill

On Capitol Hill, patience with war has worn thin as the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global shipping and drives up U.S. gas prices. Another House resolution on war powers nearly passed last week, falling to a tie as three Republicans voted for it.

Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the votes were “stuck” this time.

“People are finally starting to listen to the American people who do not support the war in Iran, and I think there are a growing number of Republicans who see how devastating the war has been for our country,” said Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state.

The only Democrat who voted against the war powers resolution last week, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, said he would vote in favor of the legislation next time.

In a joint statement, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other caucus leaders said Republicans had been “cowardly” in withdrawing the vote.

“Even as we prepare to recognize our nation’s fallen heroes on Memorial Day, House Republicans refuse to stand up and account for the brave service members who were recklessly put in harm’s way,” they added.

Republicans have largely supported Trump’s efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but some now say the president’s legal deadline to wage war without congressional approval has expired. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, presidents have 60 days to engage in military conflict before Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force.

“We’re past the 60 days, so we have to vote. We follow the law,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, adding that he planned to vote for the war powers resolution.

The conflict over war powers

The White House says the requirements of the War Powers Resolution no longer apply because of the ceasefire with Iran. At the same time, Trump said he was just an hour away from ordering another strike on Iran earlier this week, but he waited because Gulf allies said they were engaged in negotiations to end the war.

Still, Trump said on social media that military leaders should “be prepared to launch a full-scale, full-scale attack on Iran, at short notice, in the event an acceptable agreement is not reached.” Trump repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran, then backed down.

Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who has so far voted against war powers resolutions, expressed frustration with the Trump administration’s stance, particularly from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“The current status quo, Pete Hegseth demonstrates how incompetent he is,” Tillis told reporters, adding that he would be willing to vote for authorization of the use of military force.

Earlier this week, Democratic senators rallied outside the Capitol on Wednesday alongside VoteVets, a left-leaning veterans advocacy group. They placed signs on the Capitol lawn saying the national average gas price had risen to $4.53.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who served in the Iraq War with the Air National Guard, argued that the war in Iran amounted to a strategic mistake by Trump.

“Trump started a war and he made things worse than before,” Duckworth said, pointing to Iran’s new leaders and the country’s desire to stifle commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Republican leaders praised Trump for taking what they called a bold action to directly confront Iran, a country that has been an adversary of the United States for decades.

“I’m an American. I don’t believe in getting hit and walking away and pretending it didn’t happen,” said Rep. Brian Mast, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

For Congress, the growing momentum toward passing a war powers resolution could eventually lead to a legal showdown over who has final authority over military conflicts.

The bill before the House is a concurrent resolution that lawmakers say would take effect without Trump’s signature if passed by both houses of Congress.

But Trump also argued that the 1973 law — passed by Congress during the Vietnam War in an effort to regain power over foreign conflicts — was unconstitutional.