US Senate backs move to end Iran war, piling pressure on Trump

The US Senate has passed a resolution directing President Donald Trump to halt American military operations against Iran, with support from several Republican senators in a rare rebuke of the president.

The Senate voted 50-48 on Tuesday in favour of the War Powers Resolution, which had already been approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month. The vote reflects growing concern in Congress, including among some Republicans, over the conflict with Iran, which began on February 28.

The measure marks the first time both chambers of Congress have passed a resolution directing a president to remove US armed forces from hostilities since the War Powers Resolution, commonly known as the War Powers Act, was enacted in 1973.

Although the resolution may prove largely symbolic, it represents another political setback for Trump, who until recently had enjoyed near-unanimous backing from Republican lawmakers.

The vote also comes as the administration is expected to ask Congress to approve tens of billions of dollars to fund the war.

Republicans break ranks

The Senate vote largely followed party lines, but four Republican senators joined almost all Democrats in supporting the resolution. Two Republican senators did not vote.

Reuters identified the Republican senators who backed the measure as Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it, while Republicans Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and David McCormick of Pennsylvania missed the vote.

In the House, the resolution passed 215-208, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in support.

The vote signals that support for Trump inside his own party is beginning to show cracks, particularly as public opposition to the Iran war grows.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that only one in four Americans believed the war with Iran was worth its cost, while a majority were concerned that any truce with Tehran would not last.

White House says vote has no legal force

The impact of the resolution remains uncertain, as the Trump administration is also pursuing negotiations for a peace agreement with Iran.

Under the 1973 War Powers Act, a concurrent resolution passed by both chambers does not go to the president for signature. Congress intended such measures to provide a mechanism for ending military operations.

However, legal experts say the issue remains unsettled. Reuters reported that no War Powers Resolution had previously passed both chambers, while a 1983 Supreme Court ruling held that such measures must be submitted to a president for signature or veto to have legal effect.

The White House insists the War Powers Act is unconstitutional and not binding. A White House official said the Senate vote had “no significance”, arguing that the resolutions do not go to the president and have no force of law.

The official also said the resolution directs Trump to remove US forces from hostilities that the administration says ended with a ceasefire on April 7.

Pressure builds ahead of new political battles

Analysts said that even if the resolution does not immediately force the administration to halt military operations, it sends a strong signal that Congress is seeking to reassert its constitutional role over decisions of war and peace.

The Republican defections also reflect growing concern over the economic, budgetary and political costs of a prolonged conflict.

For Trump, the resolution is not only a foreign-policy challenge, but also a warning sign that support within Congress may be weakening, despite Republicans still holding narrow majorities in both the Senate and House.

Democratic lawmakers have promised further votes on war powers measures, saying they want to force Republicans to publicly state their position on the Iran conflict.

Congress is also expected to review and vote on any eventual peace agreement with Tehran if it affects Iran’s nuclear programme, under a 2015 law passed during the Obama administration’s nuclear negotiations with Iran and other world powers.

The vote therefore places fresh pressure on Trump as his administration tries to balance military strategy, peace negotiations and growing political resistance at home.