Senate advances measure to end military action in Iran in rebuke to Trump
U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC, USA on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Eric Lee | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The Senate on Tuesday introduced a resolution to halt military action in Iran following the surprise departure of Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump’s war effort.
The preliminary vote suggests the Senate may now have the votes to force Trump to withdraw the military from Iran or seek congressional approval for additional action.
Even with a 50-47 lead, the War Powers Resolution still has little chance of becoming law. A final vote would need to be passed in the Senate, approved by the House of Representatives, and Trump would almost certainly veto it. But the vote shows growing headwinds for war with Iran, especially as gasoline prices continue to rise ahead of the summer driving season and the 2026 midterms.
Cassidy, who failed to advance to the second round against Trump-supported opponent Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) in last week’s primary election, is currently in the final months of her term in the Senate. Her vote shows she is now more willing to challenge Trump.
“While I support the administration’s efforts to end Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark about Operation Epic Rage,” Cassidy said. Statement made to X Calculation after voting. “I’ve heard from people in Louisiana, including supporters of President Trump, that they are concerned about this war. No congressional authorization or extension can be justified until the administration provides clarity.”
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) attends the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Senate Committee confirmation hearing on Marty Makary’s nomination to be commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Capitol Hill on March 6, 2025 in Washington DC, USA.
Kent Nishimura | Reuters
The war with Iran has now surpassed the 60-day requirement under the War Powers Act for the president to seek authorization from Congress to use military force. But the Trump administration challenged the law as unconstitutional and claimed that a tenuous ceasefire in early April had stopped the clock by halting hostilities.
Republicans who generally oppose the measure may also have been stymied by the absences that allowed the measure to proceed. Several senators abstained from voting, including Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., John Coryn, R-Texas, and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to vote against the measure, while 46 Republicans voted for the resolution.
Democrats in the House and Senate have passed more than a dozen war powers resolutions since the start of the war in Iran. So far they have all been defeated. However, some Republicans in Congress began to support the need for the administration to seek approval from Congress after the conflict exceeded 60 days. According to the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war.
The war, which has lasted nearly three months, has wreaked havoc on the global economy and increased oil prices in the U.S. Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz, a key channel carrying about one-fifth of the world’s oil trade, largely closed for the duration of the war. oil.
Gas prices in the US currently average over $4.53 per gallon. AAA.
