The latest
President Donald Trump quickly reversed momentum in the Senate after several Republicans backed away from efforts to limit his authority to launch further military operations against Iran.
In a late-night procedural vote on Wednesday, the Senate blocked a measure that would have required congressional approval before any renewed military action against Tehran. The resolution failed 50-47, effectively undoing the political impact of a similar vote that had passed just a day earlier.
Details
• Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy switched his vote and opposed the measure after previously joining three other Republicans in backing the effort.
• Sen. Rand Paul, a longtime critic of expanded presidential war powers, voted “present” rather than supporting the resolution. He said he wanted to give Trump more room to negotiate with Iran.
• The vote followed a tense closed-door meeting between Trump and Senate Republicans, where disagreements over the Iran conflict reportedly led to a heated exchange with Cassidy.
• Trump publicly criticized Republicans who had voted against him, accusing them of weakening the U.S. position and helping Iran during sensitive negotiations.
• Following the meeting, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republican leaders worked to rally support, while Vice President J.D. Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions with undecided senators before the vote.
Background
Since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in February, Democrats have repeatedly used the 1973 War Powers Act in an effort to limit the president’s ability to continue military operations without congressional authorization.
Tuesday’s vote was unusual because four Republicans joined Democrats to approve the first war powers resolution related to the conflict, marking a rare public break with a Republican president.
The measure’s practical impact remained limited, however, as the White House and many Republicans argue that such resolutions are not legally binding on the president.
The debate comes as the Trump administration seeks additional funding for military operations tied to Iran while simultaneously pursuing a new diplomatic track with Tehran over its nuclear program.
What to watch
Although Trump secured a quick victory inside the Senate, the back-to-back votes revealed growing unease among some Republicans about a prolonged and costly confrontation with Iran. If nuclear negotiations stall or military operations resume, the battle over war powers is likely to return to Congress.
