Congress Reins In Trump's Iran War Powers
US Senate Votes to Limit Trump’s Iran War Powers in Historic Bipartisan Move Is It Legally Binding? For the first time since conflict erupted in February 2026, both chambers of Congress have united to formally challenge President Donald Trump’s military authority. On Tuesday, the US Senate voted 50–48 to pass a war powers resolution aimed at halting unauthorized military operations against Iran. The vote marks a massive turnaround after nine previous attempts failed in the Senate. It signals a major shift in how Washington is handling the highly unpopular conflict. How the Vote Passed Even though Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, the measure succeeded due to a mix of party defectors and key absences: The Defectors: Four Republicans—Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Rand Paul (KY), and Bill Cassidy (LA)—broke ranks to vote with Democrats. The Absences: Former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Dave McCormick missed the vote due to health and personal absences,...