Divisions over the Iran war split Congress on Thursday, with the House voting to end U.S. military involvement while Senate Republicans blocked a binding measure that could force the administration's hand.
The House passed a nonbinding resolution directing President Trump to withdraw armed forces from hostilities with a 214-208 vote. Four Republicans crossed party lines to join all Democrats: Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. The measure carries no legal weight and cannot override presidential veto.
In the Senate, lawmakers voted 47-49 on a joint resolution that would have had the force of law, though it still would have been subject to a veto. Only one Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, voted alongside Democrats. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke ranks on the Democratic side. Four Republicans did not cast votes: Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Democrats engineered the votes to put Republicans on record about a conflict that polls show roughly 70 percent of Americans oppose. The party sees the unpopular war as an election liability for Republicans in swing districts heading into the midterm races.
Some Senate Republicans have acknowledged the constitutional requirement for congressional approval of wars lasting beyond 60 days. Yet several who made that case voted against Thursday's measure. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina argued that the 60-day clock began in July when the administration first labeled the conflict a war, not in February when strikes began. He suggested Republicans could eventually provide the war legitimacy through a formal authorization vote once the deadline passed.
"The clock is ticking. We got to get serious about that," Tillis said, adding that providing the administration political cover could help Republicans navigate the unpopular conflict.
The Republican split reflects deep tension between party loyalty and constituent opposition. Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, a top Democratic target in a swing district, opposed the resolution despite acknowledging the war's economic impact on fuel and fertilizer prices. He argued that allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons posed an unacceptable risk and that resolving the conflict quickly remained essential.
"Iran is not a friend to the United States, but there needs to be a definitive solution there quickly," Bresnahan said.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the House vote demonstrates Congress awakening to public sentiment. He outlined additional Democratic tactics, including wielding the "power of the purse" during a September 30 deadline for government funding and the military budget. Meeks also announced plans to introduce a resolution to sue the administration over what he characterized as defiance on the Iran war issue, forcing a vote when the House returns from summer recess.
This marks the second time in recent months that Congress has formally disapproved of the war. The House passed a nearly identical measure in early June on a 215-208 vote with the same four Republicans supporting it. The Senate later passed the nonbinding version, but Democrats want binding authority to actually halt the conflict.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington noted that opposition cuts across ideological lines, with Trump supporters who championed ending "forever wars" now skeptical of renewed military engagement. The persistent votes aim to highlight that contradiction and build pressure for concrete action.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Republicans are trying to thread an impossible needle, claiming constitutional principle while giving Trump a blank check on an unpopular war that most Americans and even Trump's own voters reject."
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