Four Republicans Join Democrats in House Vote to Rein In Trump’s Iran War Powers
· Time
The House voted Wednesday to rein in President Donald Trump’s war powers against Iran as more Republicans crossed party lines over their frustration with the Administration’s handling of the three-month-old conflict.
Lawmakers voted 215-208, with four Republicans—Reps. Thomas Massie (R, Ky.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R, Pa.), Tom Barrett (R, Mich.), and Warren Davidson (R, Ohio)—breaking ranks to approve the resolution, which is a largely symbolic rebuke directing the President to end hostilities with Iran. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D, N.Y.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the resolution. The vote was originally slated for May 21, but was postponed at the last minute after Republican leaders sent House members home early for a recess when it appeared it would have enough support to pass.
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“I am thrilled that we’ve had the opportunity to have some members from the Republican side stand up. I’m really thrilled and proud of my Democratic colleagues, because every Democrat, every single one voted for this,” Meeks told reporters after the vote. “We’re going to continue to do our constitutional responsibilities, that’s what we’re doing. We’re going to continue and be a check and a balance when the administration doesn’t follow the Constitution.”
Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the President has to end military action within 60 days if he does not obtain congressional approval. The President has an additional 30 days if he deems it “unavoidable” and necessary to continue to use U.S. armed forces to ensure their safe withdrawal, although it is not clear that Trump publicly invoked that provision. The U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28.
In a May 1 letter to Congress, Trump claimed that he no longer needed congressional approval because the U.S.-Iran cease-fire, which took effect on April 8, effectively terminated the war. Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also said he believed the 60-day clock “reset” when Trump announced the cease-fire.
But observers dispute that interpretation, especially as hostilities have continued and a permanent deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz has not been reached. On Wednesday, the Pentagon, State Department, and USAID inspectors general announced a joint review of the war, noting that they are required by law to probe overseas military operations lasting more than 60 days.
The War Powers Act also grants Congress the ability to terminate military action, though typically subject to presidential veto. Because Wednesday’s measure is a concurrent resolution, it still has to be approved by the Senate, but it does not require Trump’s sign-off and cannot be vetoed by him. Concurrent resolutions, however, generally do not carry the force of law, and are instead typically used to express the sentiment of Congress.
Still, the vote marks a notable shift in Republican support for Trump’s war.
Democrats have forced votes on war powers resolutions several times in recent months. While previous measures failed, the effort has slowly picked up steam among Republicans as their constituents struggle with rising prices of oil, gas, and other commodities. Some among the public and lawmakers from both parties have also questioned the objectives of the war.
Republican resistance
“People are tired of this. They’re tired of $5 gallon gas and $6 gallon diesel, and fertilizer we can’t afford to put on our fields in Kentucky,” Massie said after the vote.
Massie has been a vocal critic of Trump’s decisions to attack Iran without congressional authorization. He has also led efforts to block the Trump Administration’s unauthorized military action in Venezuela in January and U.S. strikes on Iran in June 2025, as well as criticized Trump’s threats to take over Greenland. Last month, Massie lost the Republican primary for his Kentucky seat to Ed Gallrein, whom Trump had endorsed.
Massie and Davidson were the only Republicans to join the majority of Democrats in supporting a previous Iran war powers resolution on March 5. Meanwhile, Massie was joined by Barrett and Fitzpatrick in backing a May 14 war powers resolution, but it failed in a 212-212 tie after Davidson voted against it.
Fitzpatrick introduced his own war powers resolution in April, and Barrett introduced a limited Authorization for Use of Military Force in May seeking to limit escalations of the war while allowing for limited military action to continue. Neither proposals have yet been voted on.
In a statement after Wednesday’s vote, Fitzpatrick emphasized his support for degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but he said that the government must comply with the law in seeking congressional approval for military action.
“There’s a law on the books,” Fitzpatrick told reporters. “I don’t see what’s complicated about it. Bring it to Congress, debate it on the merits, and have this vote. That’s the way the system is supposed to work.”
“We’re past the 60 days, so you have two choices. You either follow the law or you change the law. You can’t violate the law. That’s not an option,” he added.
Republicans, who have a majority in both chambers of Congress, have also rebuffed other aspects of Trump’s agenda in recent weeks. Senate Republicans refused to move forward an immigration legislation package until the Trump Administration said it would scrap a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” that could potentially have compensated individuals convicted of attacking police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. And on Wednesday, in another blow to the President from his own party, Senate Republicans removed funding for Trump’s ballroom security from the immigration bill.
No clear end in sight
Trump officials have repeatedly insisted that they expect a deal with Iran to end the war to be reached soon, if not imminently. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R, La.) argued on Wednesday that the war powers vote would “weaken” Trump’s power in negotiations with Iran.
But the war has dragged on with no clear end in sight.
Several sticking points remain in U.S.-Iran talks, including surrounding Iran’s nuclear program which Tehran maintains is for civilian purposes, and the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the start of the war. Trump also reportedly told advisers that he would not agree to a deal that involved giving Iran money, scuttling Iran’s demand for war damages compensation and for billions of dollars of its frozen assets to be released.
On Monday, Trump said he didn’t “really care” if talks with Iran fell apart.
In the meantime, hostilities have continued around the Strait and even ratcheted up in recent days. Late Tuesday and into Wednesday, the U.S. and Iran traded fresh strikes. The U.S. hit Iran’s Qeshm Island, and Iran retaliated with deadly strikes on Kuwait’s international airport and an attack on U.S. military bases in Bahrain.
Trump privately told aides that he would consider ending the cease-fire if Iran kills U.S. troops, the Wall Street Journal reported, suggesting that he can tolerate lower-level hostilities.
When asked about the U.S.-Iran cease-fire, Trump said on Wednesday, “a cease-fire there is much different than a cease-fire in other parts of the world.”
“I’d say,” he continued, “in that part of the world, ‘cease-fire’ is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”