13. May 2026
War powers Resolution Again Fails in Senate, as More Republicans Break From Trump
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday rejected a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to expand U.S. military involvement against Iran without congressional approval, though the measure drew support from a growing number of Republicans willing to break with the president.
The resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., sought to require congressional authorization before U.S. forces could engage in sustained hostilities with Iran, except in cases of direct self-defense or imminent attack. The effort failed to secure enough votes to advance, continuing a yearslong battle in Congress over presidential war-making authority.
Despite the defeat, several Republican senators joined Democrats in backing the measure, reflecting increasing unease within parts of the GOP over the administration’s escalating rhetoric and recent military confrontations in the Middle East.
“This is not about partisanship. It is about the Constitution,” Kaine said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. “Congress has a responsibility to debate and decide matters of war.”
The resolution followed heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran after recent naval clashes in the Persian Gulf and a series of retaliatory strikes involving U.S. forces and Iranian-backed groups. Trump administration officials have defended their actions as necessary deterrence measures and argued the president already possesses sufficient authority under Article II powers and existing military authorizations.
The White House strongly opposed the resolution, calling it an attempt to restrict the commander in chief during a volatile security situation.
“This administration will not allow America’s adversaries to believe the president’s hands are tied,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Wednesday.
Several Republicans who supported the measure said their vote was not a rebuke of Trump personally but a defense of Congress’ constitutional role.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who voted in favor of the resolution, said lawmakers from both parties have ceded too much war authority to presidents over the past two decades.
“The Constitution is clear,” Paul said. “The decision to go to war belongs to Congress.”
Other Republicans, including some usually aligned with Trump on foreign policy matters, voiced concern that the administration’s increasingly confrontational posture toward Iran could pull the United States into a broader regional conflict without a formal debate in Congress.
Still, most Senate Republicans sided with the administration, arguing that limiting presidential flexibility during ongoing threats would weaken U.S. deterrence and embolden Iran.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., criticized the measure as “dangerously naïve,” saying Iran and its proxies continue to target American personnel and interests across the region.
Democrats largely united behind the resolution, though party leaders acknowledged privately that the effort faced steep odds in the Republican-controlled chamber.
The failed vote marked the latest chapter in a long-running congressional struggle over war powers stretching across multiple administrations from both parties. Similar resolutions targeting military actions under previous presidents have also faced resistance despite bipartisan concern over expanding executive authority.
Political analysts said the vote nonetheless highlighted subtle but notable fractures within the Republican Party as some lawmakers increasingly distance themselves from Trump’s hardline foreign policy posture.
The administration has signaled it intends to maintain pressure on Iran through military deployments, sanctions and diplomatic demands, while insisting it does not seek a wider war.
Iranian officials have warned that additional U.S. military actions in the region could provoke further retaliation.