Friday, 04 July 2025

Senate Votes On Resolution To Block President Trump From Taking Further Military Action Against Iran


The Senate rejected a joint resolution to block President Trump from taking further military action against Iran.

The Senate voted 53-47 against S.J. Res. 59 to “direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the measure following air strikes conducted on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

BREAKING: President Trump Announces THREE Successful Strikes On Iran Are Already Done

From the Associated Press:

The resolution, authored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. Asked Friday if he would bomb Iranian nuclear sites again if he deemed necessary, Trump said, “Sure, without question.”

The measure was defeated in a 53-47 vote in the Republican-held Senate. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined Republicans in opposition, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote in favor.

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Most Republicans have said Iran posed an imminent threat that required decisive action from Trump, and they backed his decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend without seeking congressional approval.

“Of course, we can debate the scope and strategy of our military engagements,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. “But we must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line.”

POLITICO shared additional commentary on the joint resolution:

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Senate Republican, accused Democrats of rushing to turn a “successful strike into a political fight.”

“Iran used diplomatic talks to stall. It did so as it continued to race toward a nuclear weapons. As commander-in-chief, President Trump has full authority to act,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor. “He did so decisively. It was a limited, powerful, and precise strike. It was aimed specifically at Iran’s nuclear facilities — not at Iran’s leadership and not at the Iranian people.

The near-party-line outcome contrasts with the last Senate vote to restrain Trump’s war powers on Iran in his first term. Four Senate Republicans voted for the proposal in 2019 as tensions between Washington and Tehran ratcheted up: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mike Lee of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Paul.

But all but one of those Republicans opposed the resolution Friday, as did other GOP senators who’ve often been skeptical of broad presidential war powers — a sign of shifting attitudes in the party following Trump’s return to the White House. Trump has called out Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) this week after the libertarian lawmaker called out the president’s decision to attack Iran as unconstitutional and sponsored a resolution to block further military action.

Senators received a classified briefing Thursday from top military and intelligence officials on the assessment of the weekend strike against Iran. Some Senate Republicans exited that session not quite ready to endorse Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” — though many still hailed the attacks’ success.


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