US Senate Rejects Resolution to Limit Trump’s War Powers on Iran

The United States Senate has rejected a bipartisan resolution aimed at restricting the authority of Donald Trump to continue military action against Iran without congressional approval.

The measure failed in a 53–47 vote, largely divided along party lines, allowing ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran to continue. The resolution sought to require authorization from the U.S. Congress before further military engagement.

Most Republicans opposed the proposal, backing the president’s authority to continue the military campaign. However, two senators broke with their parties.
Rand Paul, a Republican, supported the resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it.

Democrats argued that the president had bypassed Congress when launching strikes alongside Israel against Iran. They warned the conflict could escalate into another prolonged war in the Middle East.

Before the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged lawmakers to oppose further military action, saying Americans are tired of “forever wars” in the region.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated that the conflict could last up to eight weeks, longer than the initial estimate mentioned by Trump.

The war powers debate comes after the United States and Israel began striking Iranian targets over the weekend, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran against Israel and U.S.-allied countries in the Gulf.

The resolution now shifts attention to the United States House of Representatives, where lawmakers are expected to hold a similar vote, though it faces uncertain prospects.