In a dramatic reversal, the U.S. Senate voted late Wednesday to block a war powers resolution aimed at reining in President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war in Iran, delivering a victory to the White House just hours after the president had publicly berated Republican senators for breaking ranks with the party.
The vote was 47-50-1 against advancing the measure, which was led by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. All Democrats voted in favor except Senator John Fetterman, while Republicans largely fell in line, with only Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining the resolution’s supporters. Senators Mitch McConnell and Michael Bennet were absent.
The vote came as the U.S. and Iran pursue negotiations following an initial peace deal reached last week that has opened the window to addressing difficult issues, including the future of Iran’s enriched stockpile and its nuclear weapons ambitions.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 25, 2026
The resolution, which does not carry the force of law, was a symbolic protest against the administration’s handling of the conflict and aimed to limit the president’s war powers.
A day earlier, the Senate passed a resolution with a bipartisan vote against President Trump’s Iran policy. The 50–48 vote, which saw four Republicans join Senate Democrats in support, followed the House’s narrow passage of the same resolution earlier this month by a 215–208 margin, with four House Republicans joining all Democrats.
The development marked the first time either chamber of Congress had successfully passed such a measure on the war powers resolution, directing the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from hostilities against Iran.
Senate Delivers War Powers Rebuke to Trump Over Iran Conflict
Even as Washington and Tehran have ceased hostilities and the Strait of Hormuz has reopened to international shipping, the White House has requested $87.6 billion from Congress for war costs and related programs. The conflict, which erupted on February 28, toppled energy markets and raised the political stakes for Republicans in a crucial midterm election year.
Trump celebrated the vote on social media, touting the Republican reversal. “Wow! The Senate just changed its vote on Iran from 50-48 against, to 50-47 for,” Trump said in a post.
He thanked the senators who made the vote possible and argued that the move represents a warning to Tehran about U.S. options.
“Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy changed. Thank you to Leader John Thune, Lindsey Graham, Bernie Moreno, and all. This vote puts Iran on notice!”
The outcome marked a striking departure from Tuesday, when the same resolution narrowly advanced in a procedural vote fueled by four Republican defections. The day was marked by an extraordinary confrontation between President Trump and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, one of those initial Republican defectors.
During a lunch meeting with the GOP conference, Trump and Cassidy engaged in a shouting match. According to multiple sources, Trump called Cassidy a “lunatic”—a characterization Cassidy did not dispute when asked by reporters.
Cassidy described the exchange, recounting that when Trump questioned why anyone would vote for the War Powers Act, Cassidy responded: “Is that a rhetorical question, or would you like to really know?”
When the president indicated he wanted to know, Cassidy stood and explained his concerns: “You have not told the American people what’s going on. It was supposed to last four weeks. It’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved, and I want to know what’s going on.”
Cassidy’s change of heart came after a last-minute briefing from Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on the situation in Iran. He expressed gratitude for the session on social media: “I want to thank Vice President Vance and Special Envoy Witkoff for the thorough briefing this afternoon on Iran. I appreciate the quick invitation to the White House to address many of my concerns.”
Senator Rand Paul also shifted his stance, voting “present” rather than supporting the resolution as he had previously. Explaining his decision on X, Paul wrote: “Tonight I will vote present on the War Powers resolution. My opinion on the debate over war and executive power has not changed and I have voted that way several times. But since hostilities seem to be over and the President asked me to give consideration to his negotiating position, I will do so. My vote of present is a way to give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace.”
Ali Imran is a Washington-based journalist, who has worked for leading world news organizations as a correspondent, expert and in editorial positions. He is a published author and poet.
