Seven House Republicans broke with President Donald Trump on Tuesday night and joined every voting Democrat in supporting an effort to restrict his military authority over Iran. The House approved the war powers resolution in a 220-204 vote, delivering a bipartisan rebuke of the president’s handling of the conflict. The measure directs Trump to withdraw American forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress formally authorizes continued military action. Trump and his allies argue that the resolution would interfere with his ability to protect American troops and national security interests.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) introduced the resolution with the support of 14 Democratic co-sponsors, including Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). Democrats have repeatedly pushed Congress to curb Trump’s authority as the military operation against Iran continues. The latest resolution passed as the conflict became an increasingly contentious issue ahead of the midterm elections. Most House Republicans remained behind the president, but seven members crossed party lines.
All 213 Democrats who participated in the vote supported the measure. They were joined by seven Republicans, while 203 House Republicans voted against it. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, an independent who caucuses with Republicans, also opposed the resolution. The final tally gave the measure a considerably wider margin than several previous congressional attempts to limit Trump’s authority.
As Fox News reported, the seven Republicans who joined Democrats were Reps. Tom Barrett (R-MI), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Zach Nunn (R-IA). Several of the defectors have argued that Congress must formally authorize any extended war. Their votes placed them directly at odds with Trump and the overwhelming majority of House Republicans.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 generally requires a president to end the use of American forces within 60 days after submitting, or being required to submit, a report to Congress unless Congress authorizes the operation or extends the period. The law allows up to 30 additional days when the president certifies that unavoidable military necessity requires more time to withdraw those forces. Supporters of Moulton’s resolution say that the deadline expired months ago and that Congress must now vote on whether the operation can continue. The Trump administration maintains that the president is acting within his constitutional authority as commander in chief.
Administration allies also warn that withdrawing or restricting American forces could hinder Trump’s ability to respond to threats from Tehran. “The president has done a good job managing all this,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) told Fox News Digital. “We need to stand with the president right now and with the Iranian people.” Stutzman added that Trump had fulfilled his promise that the United States would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Barrett defended his decision before the vote, pointing to the time limits contained in the War Powers Resolution. “I’ve been consistent on that since the war powers provision expired after 60 days of engagement,” the Michigan Republican said. Barrett and the other defectors maintain that their position concerns Congress’s constitutional power to declare war rather than their support for Iran. Their votes nevertheless handed Democrats a political victory against a Republican president during a volatile conflict and a contentious midterm election season.
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Massie has emerged as one of the Republican Party’s most persistent critics of Trump’s foreign policy in Iran. The Kentucky congressman has also attempted to force a vote on impeaching Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over the conflict. Most congressional Republicans have rejected Massie’s approach and continued to support the administration’s military strategy. Trump’s allies argue that imposing new restrictions would weaken the president while American forces remain exposed to Iranian threats.
The Senate briefly passed an earlier House concurrent resolution in June after several Republican senators broke with Trump, but senators reversed that action the following day after the president intervened. The latest House measure will not immediately alter American military policy and would still need Senate approval. Because H. Con. Res. 93 is a concurrent resolution, it would not be presented to Trump for a signature or veto if the Senate approved it. Whether such a resolution would legally compel the administration to withdraw American forces remains disputed.
Featured image credit: House Clerk, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons