US Senate advances war powers resolution to curb Trump’s Iran authority

The United States Senate on Tuesday advanced a War Powers Resolution that could restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to use military force against Iran without congressional approval, amid escalating fallout from the ongoing conflict.

The procedural vote to move the resolution forward passed 50-47, with a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in a rare rebuke of the president, reflecting deepening unease over a war that shows no sign of ending despite a fragile ceasefire.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said before the vote: “This president is like a toddler playing with a loaded gun.”

“If there was ever a time to support our war powers resolution to withdraw troops from hostilities with Iran, it’s now,” Schumer added.

The vote marked a victory for lawmakers who argue that Congress, not the president, holds the constitutional power to send troops to war.

However, it was only a procedural step, and the resolution faces steep hurdles before it can take effect. Three Republicans were absent, and their votes could defeat the measure if they maintain their pro-war stance.

Even if the full Senate passes the resolution, it must also clear the Republican-led House of Representatives and then survive an expected Trump veto, requiring two-thirds majorities in both chambers.

Trump’s Republicans have blocked seven similar resolutions in the Senate this year and defeated three war powers measures in the House by narrow margins.

Tuesday’s vote underscores growing pressure on the president as the U.S.-led war on Iran, launched in late February with Israel, disrupts global energy markets and raises domestic living costs.

Democrats and a few Republicans have urged Trump to seek congressional authorization for the war, expressing concern that the United States may be entering a protracted conflict without a clear exit strategy.

The Trump administration maintains that the president’s actions are legal and within his authority as commander in chief, arguing he has a responsibility to protect the nation through limited military operations.

Under the 1973 War Powers Act, enacted after the Vietnam War, a president can wage military action for up to 60 days without congressional approval, then must either end hostilities, seek authorization, or request a 30-day extension citing “unavoidable military necessity” for troop safety during withdrawal.

Trump declared on May 1 that a ceasefire with Tehran had “terminated” hostilities, suggesting he had not exceeded the 60-day limit.

Despite the president’s assertion that the conflict has ended, U.S. troops continue to blockade Iranian ports and attack Iranian shipping, while Tehran’s forces block the Strait of Hormuz and have struck U.S. vessels.

Opinion polls indicate American voters oppose the war, which legal experts widely consider a violation of international law.

The resolution’s advancement signals a rare bipartisan pushback against executive war powers, but its ultimate fate remains uncertain amid Republican resistance and the threat of a presidential veto.