The Senate voted Tuesday to strip President Donald Trump of his authority to wage war against Iran, marking a striking moment of Republican defection that exposed growing unease over a conflict increasingly unpopular with voters.
The war powers resolution passed 50-48, with four Republicans crossing the aisle to join Democrats. The defectors were Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and Rand Paul of Kentucky. On the Democratic side, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania cast the lone vote against the measure.
The resolution would require Trump to seek congressional authorization before continuing military operations against Iran. It had already cleared the House earlier this month. The conflict itself began in February alongside Israel.
Trump has not been quiet about his constitutional objections. He and his allies have questioned the legality of the underlying 1973 War Powers Act that enabled the resolution. The measure does not require his signature, meaning the administration cannot block it through veto.
Two Republican absences helped the resolution succeed. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, recently hospitalized, were not present. Neither has supported previous war powers resolutions, which Democrats have been forcing to votes regularly since the Iran war began.
The Senate vote underscores deep Republican divisions on the conflict as November midterm elections approach. Control of Congress hangs in the balance, and the Iran war has become a liability among voters. The president dispatched Vice President JD Vance to Switzerland in recent weeks to negotiate a ceasefire that would end the hostilities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio meanwhile visited Gulf allies to reassure them that Washington would take a hard line in any settlement negotiations. He pledged that no country, including Iran, would be allowed to charge tolls for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Elsewhere Tuesday, a group of Texas anti-ICE protesters convicted on terrorism charges received sentences of at least 50 years in prison. The convictions in the closely watched case have been seen as a test of the Trump administration's willingness to prosecute dissent aggressively.
The Supreme Court declined to hear a case brought by a Rastafarian Louisiana prisoner whose religious hair was forcibly cut by guards while in state custody. The refusal to take the case disappointed civil rights advocates who saw it as a landmark opportunity to establish protections for religious beliefs in correctional settings.
A separate controversy involved a Brooklyn coffee shop that banned Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman over his stance on Israel. The shop is now under investigation by the Trump Justice Department. Goldman called the ban "sad."
Trump acknowledged Tuesday that repairs to the algae-plagued reflecting pool on the National Mall may not finish in time for Fourth of July celebrations marking the nation's 250th birthday. The $14.2 million renovation had aimed to turn the pool "American flag" blue, but algae blooms and liner peeling have complicated the timeline. Trump has blamed vandalism without providing evidence of the damage.
A Washington DC resident arrested near the reflecting pool this week said he plans to fight obscenity charges against him. Trump has pointed to such incidents as proof of sabotage.
At the intelligence community's top office, newly appointed Acting Director Bill Pulte has already begun firing staff members. The purge comes less than a week into his tenure and follows the May departure of former Director Tulsi Gabbard.
Global markets shook Tuesday as a tech selloff grabbed investor attention away from Iran developments. Concerns about artificial intelligence companies and chipmakers, which have powered market gains to record highs, spooked traders.
Debate over AI in schools intensified as some parents and child development experts voiced skepticism about claims that classroom AI use boosts learning. Despite enthusiasm from major tech firms and the Trump administration, critics argue evidence is thin that AI helps children and warn it could harm cognitive development.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Senate vote showed Republicans still willing to challenge Trump when a war becomes a political millstone, but his moves on Iran, ICE enforcement, and staffing shake suggest he's not backing down."
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