U.S. Senate Republicans block latest bid to rein in Trump Iran war powers
- By Reuters -
- Apr 16, 2026
WASHINGTON: A majority of the U.S. Senate backed President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran on Wednesday, voting to block a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the war until hostilities are authorized by Congress.
The Senate voted 52-47 not to advance the war powers resolution, underscoring his party’s continuing support for the Republican president’s war policy more than six weeks after the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on February 28.
It was the fourth time that Democrats have forced votes on similar measures since the war began. All of them have failed in the face of opposition from every Republican except Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Paul was the only Republican vote in favor of the resolution in the latest vote. The only Democratic no came from Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. Republican Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia did not vote.
Democratic party leaders have vowed to keep bringing up war powers resolution until the conflict ends or Congress authorizes continued fighting.