Senate Republicans on Wednesday are expected to reject a Democratic-backed war powers resolution that would prevent Donald Trump from continuing the conflict against Iran, with Majority Leader John Thune arguing that the president is “acting in the best interests of the nation.”
Democrats have condemned Trump for ordering an air campaign against Iran without first asking Congress for permission, while offering varying explanations for his goals. The war powers resolution introduced by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer would force an end to US involvement in current hostilities and require the president to go to Congress before re-entering the war.
“We should not be at war without a debate and a vote. That’s what the framers intended,” Kaine told reporters Tuesday. “We protect our troops when we do it the right way. We put them at risk when we do it the wrong way.”
The resolution will require 50 votes to advance. Democrats control 47 seats, but Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said he will oppose the resolution, meaning they will need at least five Republicans to join them for it to succeed.
The chances of that happening diminished Tuesday when Thune told reporters that he believes Trump has the proper clearance for the campaign, which the U.S. military is running alongside Israel.
“The president has the authority he needs to carry out the activities, the operations that are currently taking place there,” Thune responded at a news conference Tuesday, when asked if Trump should ever seek congressional approval to continue the conflict.
“I believe the president is acting in the best interest of the nation and our national security interests by ensuring that he protects Americans and American bases and facilities in that region, as well as those of our allies.”
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy predicted the resolution “will likely fail” but said it would nonetheless offer an important opportunity to consider the justification for the conflict.
“We should not vote to pass other laws until we have a debate about this deeply unpopular, immoral and illegal war with Iran,” Murphy told reporters after receiving a classified briefing from administration officials Tuesday afternoon.
In the House of Representatives, Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie have introduced their own war powers resolution, which is expected to be voted on Thursday. But that also faces Republican opposition, with President Mike Johnson saying Monday that it would be “dangerous” to force an end to U.S. involvement in the conflict.
“The idea that we would take away the ability of our commander in chief, the president, and take away his authority right now to finish this job, is a terrifying prospect to me. It’s dangerous,” Johnson said. “I’m certainly hopeful and I think we have the votes to overturn it.”
Even if a war powers resolution passed the House and Senate, Trump could veto it, and lawmakers would need two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override it. The president has also retaliated against lawmakers who have broken with him over foreign policy issues, including saying that four Republican senators who voted in January to advance a war powers resolution blocking hostilities against Venezuela “should never be elected to office again.” Two of those senators later withdrew their support and the measure failed.
This week’s vote, however, may offer some Trump allies a chance to speak out against a conflict that has so far resulted in the deaths of six U.S. service members as well as 787 people in Iran, according to the country’s Red Crescent.
“The Constitution vested the power to declare or start war in Congress for one reason: to make war less likely,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul wrote in X as the fighting began over the weekend. “As with every war, my first and purest instinct is to wish American soldiers safety and success in their mission. But my oath is to the Constitution, so with studied care, I must oppose another presidential war.”
Right-wing congressman Warren Davidson was similarly skeptical about involving the United States in the conflict without congressional authorization, telling CNN in an interview that Trump “campaigned…against starting a war in Iran.”
But he said he hoped administration officials who were to brief lawmakers Tuesday afternoon could convince him of the president’s arguments.
“I want to look at the intelligence that President Trump found persuasive and, you know, persuade us. I’m open to being persuaded,” Davidson told CNN.
