After Senate vote, US House rejects bipartisan move to curb Trump’s Iran war powers

Democrats have argued that the administration’s justification for the operation has shifted repeatedly and that officials have failed to show that Iran posed an immediate threat requiring urgent military action.

• US House narrowly rejects bid to limit Trump's war powers on Iran
• Bipartisan resolution would have required Congress approval
• Democrats vow to keep pressing for votes on military authority

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The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected an attempt to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military operations against Iran, defeating a bipartisan resolution that would have required the White House to obtain approval from Congress before prolonging the campaign.

The proposal failed by a narrow margin of 212 to 219, highlighting the reluctance of lawmakers -- particularly Republicans -- to challenge the administration as the conflict enters its early phase. The vote came a day after the Senate also dismissed a similar measure.

Even if the legislation had cleared both chambers, it still faced a major obstacle. Trump would have had the authority to veto it, and overriding such a veto would require two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate -- a threshold widely seen as unattainable in the current political landscape.

Pressure on Congress

The vote occurred less than a week after the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military offensive against Iran. The campaign has focused on missile installations, naval capabilities and other strategic targets across the country.

The strikes have already killed several senior figures in Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks across the region, widening fears of a prolonged conflict.

The fighting has also resulted in American casualties. Six US servicemembers were killed in an attack on a US base in Kuwait, intensifying calls for lawmakers to assert their authority over a war that Congress has not formally approved.

Democrats have argued that the administration’s justification for the operation has shifted repeatedly and that officials have failed to show that Iran posed an immediate threat requiring urgent military action.

Debate over presidential authority

The resolution was introduced by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna. It invoked the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a law enacted after the Vietnam War that sought to prevent presidents from engaging US forces in extended conflicts without congressional authorization.

The measure directed the president to withdraw US troops from what it described as “unauthorized hostilities” involving Iran unless Congress explicitly endorsed the mission.

Massie argued that lawmakers must reclaim their constitutional responsibility to decide when the country goes to war.

"Under our Constitution, the power to initiate war rests solely with Congress," he said. "Congress owes our service members a clearly defined mission, so that when they accomplish it, they can come home."

Republicans rally behind Trump

Despite the bipartisan sponsorship, Republican leadership strongly opposed the effort. Many lawmakers argued that restricting the president in the middle of an active military campaign would weaken the United States and benefit Iran.

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that such a move could undermine the country’s strategic position and harm American forces engaged in the operation.

"I think passage of a war powers resolution right now would be a terrible, dangerous idea... It would empower our enemies," Johnson told reporters before the vote.

"It would kneecap our own forces, and it would take the ability of the US military and the commander in chief away in completing this critical mission to keep everybody safe."

Democrats criticise decision

Democratic leaders sharply criticised Republicans for backing the president’s military authority. They argued that Congress was failing to perform its constitutional duty to oversee decisions on war.

"Republicans had their chance to do something that would have been overwhelmingly popular: to say no to Trump's war," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said during a speech on the chamber floor.

"Instead, they enthusiastically said yes, and now they own this war with Iran just as much as Donald Trump does."

Democrats are expected to continue pushing for further votes on the issue, seeking to force lawmakers to publicly take positions on the ongoing military campaign.