The United States Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution mandating President Donald Trump to cease military operations against Iran, illustrating the growing discontent among lawmakers, including some Republicans, according to reports.
The resolution, approved by a 50-48 vote, follows a similar measure passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month. This decision highlights increasing concerns over the unpopular conflict that began on February 28. The resolution orders the withdrawal of American forces from hostilities with Iran.
This marks the first instance where both chambers of Congress have adopted a resolution requiring the president to withdraw U.S. armed forces from military actions, under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, commonly known as the War Powers Act.
While this gesture is expected to be largely symbolic, the votes reflect a clear setback for Trump, who previously enjoyed near-total support from Republican Congress members. Trump’s party holds fragile majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate vote largely fell along party lines, with four Republicans joining nearly all Democrats, save for one, in favor of the resolution. Two Republican senators did not cast their votes.
It remains unclear how this resolution will impact the ongoing conflict, as the Trump administration works to negotiate a peace agreement with Iran.
Under the War Powers Act, the measure does not need to be sent to the White House for Trump’s signature. However, the White House contends that the law is unconstitutional and, thus, non-binding.
Experts indicate that this could lead to a legal dispute likely to be resolved in court. “The executive branch will likely ignore it on constitutional grounds, and it’s unclear who would have standing to sue for enforcement,” said Scott Anderson, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and editor-in-chief of the online legal publication Lawfare, adding that someone is expected to take action.
The resolution was previously adopted by the House with limited Republican support, passing with a vote of 215 to 208, where four Republicans and all Democrats voted in favor.
