Senate Passes Iran War Powers Resolution — Congress Tells Trump to Stop the War or Get Approval

Here's something worth knowing, whether you follow foreign policy closely or not: Congress just did something it's never done before — and it's directly tied to a war your tax dollars are funding.

The short version: The U.S. Senate voted 50-48 on Tuesday, June 23, to pass a war powers resolution telling President Trump he needs to either stop the military campaign against Iran or come to Congress and get formal approval first. The resolution calls for President Trump to either halt his military campaign against Iran or seek congressional approval before any further action is taken.

Why this is a big deal — and a first: Tuesday's vote marked the first time a war powers resolution had successfully passed both chambers of Congress. Think about that. It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50-48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts. All nine previous attempts fizzled out.

How'd it actually pass? Republicans control the Senate, so this shouldn't have worked — and it almost didn't. Democrats have repeatedly forced votes to limit Trump's war powers — a campaign that gradually picked up more GOP support. GOP Senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy joined Democrats in voting for the resolution. On the other side, one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against it. The absence of two Republicans — including Sen. Mitch McConnell, who was admitted to the hospital recently — left the GOP without a full majority to halt the effort. Sen. Dave McCormick also missed the vote. In other words, two absences and one party crossover tipped the scales.

But here's the catch: Don't expect this to actually stop the war. The resolution does not need Trump's signature because it is a concurrent resolution — but it also does not have the force of law, even though it's been approved by both chambers. It's a powerful statement, not an order.

Back up — how did we even get here? On February 28, Trump joined Israel in launching attacks against Iran, triggering a region-wide war that has continued through this month. Trump did not seek congressional approval for the war, which he has attempted to label as a "skirmish" or a "short-term excursion." The U.S. Constitution gives Congress — not the president — the power to declare war, and the 1973 War Powers Act was designed to enforce that.

What does the resolution actually say? The resolution "directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a congressional authorization for use of military force against Iran."

Why it matters to your wallet: The vote comes as the Pentagon is seeking $80 billion from Congress mostly for the Iran war as it backfills munitions and stockpiles. That's $80 billion that has to come from somewhere.

Where things stand right now: Negotiations are currently under way in Switzerland, as the Trump administration and Iran continue to discuss the terms of a ceasefire set out in a June 17 memorandum of understanding — but whether that memorandum will hold remains unclear. Meanwhile, Israel, the U.S.'s partner in the war against Iran, has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, violating the terms of the agreement, which called for a halt to fighting on all fronts.

Trump's reaction? Predictably, not happy. Trump responded to the vote in a Truth Social post Tuesday night, calling the four Republicans "losers" who "have just made my job more difficult."

The bigger picture: Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who has long advocated for such a measure, reflected on Congress seeking to reclaim its constitutional powers: "The most solemn power for Congress is Congress has the power to declare war, not the president." Whether this vote actually changes anything on the ground remains to be seen — but it's the clearest signal yet that not everyone in Washington is on board with the direction this war is heading.