House votes to limit Trump’s Iran war powers in remarkable rebuke
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran, with four Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in a 215-208 vote. Trump condemned the vote as unpatriotic, while supporters argued it was a necessary check on executive authority under the War Powers Act, though the resolution lacks binding legal force.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to restrict President Donald Trump’s authority to engage in military conflict with Iran, marking a rare bipartisan rebuke. The vote passed 215 to 208, with Republican Representatives Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett, and Warren Davidson crossing party lines to support the measure. Trump criticized the vote on Truth Social, calling it unpatriotic and accusing the four Republicans of grandstanding, while Democrats framed it as a constitutional obligation to rein in executive overreach. The resolution, introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, does not require presidential approval or carry the force of law. However, Democrats argue it sends a legal and political message that Congress must approve military actions. The vote followed weeks of Democratic-led efforts to force a debate on Trump’s handling of Iran policy, with growing GOP skepticism over the administration’s approach. Massie, a Kentucky Republican, emphasized public frustration with rising fuel and fertilizer costs, linking them to broader concerns about unchecked war powers. Fitzpatrick defended his vote as a straightforward application of the War Powers Act, stating that Congress must debate and approve military actions. Barrett acknowledged constituent concerns about the war’s economic impact, calling the vote a message from the ‘people’s House.’ The resolution’s passage comes amid broader GOP resistance to Trump’s agenda, including recent Senate moves to block funding for his Capitol riot-related security measures and a controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. The vote was originally scheduled for May 21 but was delayed by GOP leaders, who sought to avoid a potential loss. While the resolution lacks immediate legal effect, its passage underscores growing divisions within the Republican Party over Trump’s foreign policy approach.
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