The US Senate on Thursday voted down legislation intended to constrain President Trump’s powers regarding military operations in Iran. The measure failed with a 49-50 tally, representing the second attempt in two weeks by lawmakers to force an end to hostilities through legislative action.
The failed vote came after the US military conducted what it characterized as a fresh wave of retaliatory airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday, responding to an Iranian missile attack on a US base in Jordan. This exchange marked a further escalation in the conflict, which has now extended well beyond initial projections. When Trump and Israeli leaders launched military operations on 28 February, the administration predicted a duration of four to five weeks; the conflict has now lasted more than five months.
The voting breakdown revealed some cross-party division. Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman cast the sole Democratic vote against the resolution, while three Republican senators—Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky—supported it. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was absent due to recovery from a fall in June. The resolution, if passed, would have directed Trump to withdraw US forces absent explicit congressional authorization.
The conflict has resulted in at least 18 American military deaths and over 450 wounded according to Pentagon figures, figures some Democratic lawmakers have questioned regarding transparency. Casualties among Iranian forces and civilians are estimated in the thousands. The Pentagon has requested approximately $80 billion in additional funding to sustain operations, supplementing more than $37 billion already expended. Public opinion polling released Thursday showed roughly two-thirds of US adults surveyed said the war had not been worthwhile.
The Senate previously approved a war powers resolution in late June by a narrow 50-48 margin before reversing course on subsequent similar measures. The House passed its own concurrent resolution twice calling for the war’s end, most recently by 214-208 in late July, though such measures carry no legal force. The Trump administration has separately contended that the 1973 War Powers Resolution itself is unconstitutional.
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