After seven failed attempts, US Senate passes resolution to limit President Trump's war powers in Iran
Washington DC, May 20
The US Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking to limit President Donald Trump's war powers in Iran, according to CBS News.
Senators approved a motion to discharge the resolution from committee in a 50-47 vote, with four Republican lawmakers joining most Democrats in support of the measure, CBS News reported. This was the eighth such attempt by Senate democrats to pass such a resolution.
The resolution, introduced by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, would direct the President to "remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorised by a declaration of war or a specific authorisation for use of military force."
According to CBS News, the four Republican senators who voted with Democrats were Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy.
Reacting to the development, Democrat senator from California, Adam Schiff, said that the senate democrats have once again forced a vote to demand an end to "unconstitutional war".
"Today, Senate Democrats once again forced a vote to demand an end to this unconstitutional war. After seven failed attempts, I am thankful that my Republican colleagues have joined in bringing our War Powers Resolution to the Floor and exercising our constitutional responsibility to declare war," Schiff wrote on 'X'. Senator Bernie Sanders also welcomed the resolution, saying that the American people are opposed to spending "billions on endless wars".
"Finally, Senate Republicans are starting to listen to their constituents. The American people do not want to spend billions on endless wars. They want to address the enormous crises facing our country. We must end this unconstitutional war," he said in a post on X.
The development follows the ongoing negotiations related to peace deal between US and Iran, followed by US President Donald Trump's earlier announcement to put a "planned attack" on Tehran on hold after appeals from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US President further mentioned that they are "prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault" on Iran.
In a long Truth Social post on Monday, President Trump stated that Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan requested him to delay the scheduled American attack on Iran, as "serious negotiations" were still underway with the country.
President Trump stressed that the US had "planned" military action against Iran on Tuesday; however, it was delayed after the intervention of Gulf leaders in the hope of a peace deal with Tehran.
"I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond," said Trump.
He added, "This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN! Based on my respect for the above mentioned Leaders, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, The Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, and The United States Military, that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran. tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached."
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm glad some Republican senators broke ranks. The US has been waging endless wars in the Middle East for decades, and Iran was never a direct threat to them. This is a step towards accountability. But let's not forget, Trump's 'maximum pressure' policy has backfired spectacularly, and now he's relying on Gulf monarchs to save him from his own blunders? As an Indian, I see parallels with how global powers meddle in South Asia. Peace is always better than war, but the conditions have to be fair for all parties. 🇮🇳
From a Western perspective, this is a critical moment for American democracy. The War Powers Resolution is a necessary check on presidential overreach. But the fact that it took seven failed attempts and narrow margins shows how polarized the Senate is. Meanwhile, Trump's threat of a "large scale assault" even while negotiations are happening is reckless. As an American, I'm thankful for senators like Collins and Murkowski who put principles above party. Let's hope this leads to real diplomacy, not preconditions.
Look, I'm all for peace, but let's call a spade a spade: The US has been the worlds biggest exporter of instability in West Asia. They topple governments, arm factions, and then act surprised when countries like Iran develop defense capabilities. Trump's "nuclear weapons" obsession is just a pretext. India has good relations with both Iran and the Gulf, so we don't want to see more bloodshed. But this resolution is just symbolic—Congress will probably authorize something else later. 😒
I find it deeply ironic that the same Republican senators who supported Trump's maximum pressure campaign are now voting to limit his war powers. It's pure political theater. As an Indian student studying US politics, I see this as a weak attempt by Democrats to score points before elections. The real issue is that the US needs a comprehensive foreign policy shift away from
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.