The US Senate voted 50–48 to approve a war powers resolution calling on President Donald Trump to remove American forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress explicitly authorizes military action. The measure had already passed the House of Representatives, making the vote the strongest formal expression of congressional opposition to the conflict at that point. Because it was introduced as a concurrent resolution, however, it does not go to the president for a signature and has no force of law. [Source 13893]
Four Republican senators—Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky—joined almost all Senate Democrats in supporting the resolution. Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it. Republican Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania did not vote. [Sources 13892, 13893]
Republicans held a 53–47 Senate majority. NBC News reported that McConnell and McCormick had opposed similar resolutions previously and that, had both participated and voted against the measure, the result would have been a 50–50 tie and the resolution would have failed. McConnell had been hospitalized and his office had said he would not vote that week. [Source 13893]
The House approved the same Democratic-led measure earlier in June by 215–208. Its text directs the president to withdraw US armed forces from hostilities involving Iran unless military action is authorized through a declaration of war or a specific congressional authorization. The Senate had considered nine earlier war powers resolutions without any reaching the simple majority required for passage. [Source 13893]
The White House dismissed the outcome as having no practical significance. An administration official argued that there were no continuing hostilities from which forces could be removed, citing an April 7 ceasefire, although the United States and Iran had occasionally exchanged strikes while maintaining that the ceasefire remained intact. Trump criticized the four Republican supporters in a Truth Social post and said the vote complicated his approach toward Iran. [Source 13893]
The congressional action came as Washington and Tehran were in the early stages of talks intended to end the conflict. Vice President JD Vance had returned from high-level discussions in Switzerland a day before the vote and described the negotiations as a foundation for a possible final agreement. The two governments remained at odds over whether Iran had agreed to permit United Nations examinations of its nuclear sites. [Source 13893]
Although the resolution cannot itself compel a change in military policy, its passage demonstrated that opposition extended beyond Senate Democrats. It also renewed the constitutional dispute over the division of war-making authority between Congress and the presidency. Trump and Republican allies have questioned the application and constitutionality of the 1973 War Powers Act, while supporters of the resolution argue that continued military action requires congressional consent. [Sources 13892, 13893]
