Arabic version: الكونغرس يصدر أول إجراء لسلطات الحرب ضد ترامب بشأن إيران
The Republican-controlled US Senate has approved a measure instructing President Donald Trump to halt the war in Iran or seek congressional approval before continuing military action. This decision came after a 50-48 vote on Tuesday, which saw a few Republicans join Democrats in expressing bipartisan concern over the ongoing conflict and the ceasefire agreement reached in April. According to BBC News, the US House of Representatives had previously passed the same measure in June with a vote of 215-208, where four Republicans sided with Democrats.
However, the resolution is largely symbolic, as it will not be sent to Trump for consideration and does not possess the force of law. This vote marks the first time that both chambers of Congress have approved a concurrent resolution instructing a president to end a military action since the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted. The measure’s passage adds pressure on the White House to conclude the Iran war, particularly as petrol prices have surged and public opposition has intensified.
A White House official remarked that with the ceasefire agreed on April 7, there are no hostilities from which to withdraw American forces. The official also indicated that the measure’s passage was aided by the absence of two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick. Notably, four Republican senators—Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Bill Cassidy—voted in favor of the resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman was the only member of his party to oppose it.
This vote illustrates growing divisions among Trump’s Republican allies ahead of the midterm elections in November. Some Republicans have increasingly resisted the president, including rejecting his proposal for a $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund and approving aid for Ukraine. The Senate Democrats have now forced a war powers vote 10 times since the war began. Concurrently, the Pentagon is seeking around $80 billion from Congress, most of which is intended to fund the military actions in Iran.
