Congress passes war powers for the first time, condemning Trump’s war on Iran
Trump criticized the decision on Tuesday night, calling it “badly timed and meaningless”.
“So, I have Iran ‘on the ropes,’ ready to go down… and the US Senate decides to have a Vote on War Powers Legislation at the wrong and absurd time,” Trump wrote on his Public Truth platform.
“These Senators have just made my job very difficult, but I will do it, one way or another, because I always do!”
The vote marks the first time that both chambers of Congress have approved the same resolution directing the president to end military action since the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
A resolution at one time reflects the sentiment or will of Congress, as opposed to other types of legislation that go to the president to be signed into law. In 2019, Trump voted for a joint resolution to withdraw troops from Yemen’s civil war.
Middle East analyst Laura Blumenfeld called it “a slap on the wrist rather than handcuffs, because there is no legal obligation”.
But he told the BBC he thought it “represents the feelings of the American people”.
Same solution Passage is important because it increases pressure on the White House to find an end to the Iran war, which is unpopular with the public after rising fuel prices.
A similar measure was passed earlier this month by the US House of Representatives, where four Republicans joined all Democrats to approve it by a vote of 215-208.
But a White House official told the BBC that with the ceasefire agreed on April 7, there are no enemies from which US forces will be withdrawn.
The official also said that the measure only passed because two Republican senators were absent: Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick.
Four Republican senators voted with Democrats in support of the resolution: Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Bill Cassidy.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman was the only member of his party to vote against it.
It was the latest sign of a rift between Republicans and Trump ahead of the mid-term elections in November, which will determine whether the party can hold on to its thin ranks in both chambers of Congress.
Some Republicans have opposed the president recently, including rejecting his plans to build a $1.8 bn (£1.3bn) “anti-weapons” fund and approve aid to Ukraine.
Tuesday’s vote was the 10th time Senate Democrats have forced a power vote since the war began.
It came on the same day as the Pentagon asked Congress for $80 billion, most of it to pay for the war with Iran.
Federal law requires congressional approval to continue military operations for more than 60 days. The US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, although the Trump administration has argued that the April moratorium resets the clock.
The White House could extend the deadline for another 30 days, citing national security concerns.
Currently, the US and Iran have agreed to continue the ceasefire and work towards an end to the conflict under a cooperation agreement signed by the presidents of both countries last week.
Under that memo, Washington and Tehran have 60 days to negotiate a comprehensive deal to end Iran’s nuclear program.
