The Senate narrowly voted down a measure on Thursday that would have forced President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities with Iran. The 50-49 vote failed to advance a war powers resolution, which required 60 votes to proceed. Three Republicans—Susan Collins (R-ME), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)—joined Democrats in supporting the measure, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the only Democrat to oppose it. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) missed the vote due to health issues.
The resolution, introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), aimed to constrain Trump’s ability to wage war without congressional approval. It mirrored previous war powers resolutions introduced by Democrats in both the House and Senate. The vote came amid tensions between Trump and several retiring Republican senators over the nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have refused to back Blanche’s nomination unless the Justice Department confirms the end of a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund. Trump criticized the senators on Truth Social, suggesting he might withdraw Blanche’s nomination until they leave office next year.
Despite the internal GOP tensions, both Tillis and Cornyn voted against the war powers resolution. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who initially supported the resolution, reversed his stance after receiving a briefing from the administration. He cited the complexity of the situation, comparing it to the political intricacies in the novel All the King’s Men. Cassidy emphasized that ground troops in Iran would require a congressional declaration of war.
The vote occurred as reports of dwindling munitions and rising gas prices raised concerns about the war’s sustainability. The Pentagon has pleaded for additional defense funding, and four U.S. service members have died in Iran-launched strikes since a fragile ceasefire collapsed on July 8. Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen soldiers last week.