U.S. Senate for the first time approves War Powers resolution in rebuke to Trump over Iran conflict
The U.S. Senate for the first time approved a war powers resolution Tuesday (June 23, 2026) seeking to block U.S. military action against Iran, as
The U.S. Senate for the first time approved a war powers resolution Tuesday (June 23, 2026) seeking to block U.S. military action against Iran, as lawmakers warily watch President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve a conflict that the administration launched on its own and now needs Congress to fund. It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50-48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts. While the resolution is largely symbolic, and does not fully carry the force of law, it reflects the growing concerns from a number of Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate over both the war and the deal Trump struck with Iran to end it. The House approved the resolution earlier this month. “Time after time, the vast majority of Senate Republicans sided with Mr. Trump and his war instead of the American people,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer said Americans have paid the price for “Trump’s historic blunder in Iran. It’ll go down in the history books as one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made.” In the past, as many as four GOP senators have voted for the war powers resolutions, and they did so Tuesday (June 23, 2026) -- Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
One Democrat, Sen John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against. On this vote, the absence of two Republicans, including Sen Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was admitted to the hospital recently for an undisclosed matter, left the GOP without a full majority to halt the effort. The vote also comes as the Pentagon is seeking $80 billion from Congress mostly for the Iran war as it backfills munitions and stockpiles. Trump to meet senators as Republicans balk at Iran deal Trump himself is headed to the Capitol this week to meet with GOP senators as Vice President JD Vance has been overseas working to negotiate with Iran to end that country’s nuclear ambitions, which had been among the stated rationales for the war. The President is not pleased with the Republicans who have been critical of the deal he struck with Iran, according to one GOP senator granted anonymity to discuss the private dynamics. The terms of the Iran deal are spelled out in a Memorandum of Understanding that Mr. Trump signed last week, starting a 60-day clock for the sides to reach a broader agreement over ending Iran’s nuclear programme. But Republicans have particularly objected to the $300 billion fund to help Iran rebuild, which is far greater than the $1.7 billion then-President Barack Obama refunded the country under his administration’s 2015 Iran deal.
The BriefWire