The Senate on Friday rejected a Democrat-led effort to restrict President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran, siding with the administration’s response to escalating threats from Tehran.
Senator Tim Kaine’s war powers resolution failed in a 53-47 vote. The only Republican to support the measure was Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, while Democrat John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke ranks to oppose it.
Kaine framed the bill as a constitutional safeguard. “The Framers gave Congress the power to declare war for a reason,” he argued. “President Trump’s chaotic strategy on Iran risks dragging us into war without accountability.” But critics say Kaine’s resolution was political posturing during a time of heightened security threats.
Trump ordered targeted airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend following credible intelligence that Tehran was accelerating its weapons program. The president hailed the operation as a success and urged peace, but warned that any resumption of uranium enrichment would trigger another round of strikes.
Senator Susan Collins said Congress did not need to handcuff the president amid current threats. “A nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable. President Trump acted within his authority to defend Americans and our allies,” she said. “Now is not the time to second-guess the commander-in-chief.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed those sentiments, reminding reporters that previous Democrat presidents launched military campaigns without congressional approval. “President Obama bombed Libya for eight months. President Biden launched three separate strikes in the region. No Democrat batted an eye,” Johnson said. “This sudden concern is political theater, not principle.”
The vote solidifies Trump’s authority to act swiftly against Iranian aggression and signals that the Republican-controlled Congress will not undermine the administration’s ability to respond to national security threats.