washington – The Senate defeated a war powers resolution on Wednesday that aims to block President Trump from moving forward war with Iranas the operation approaches the fourth week.
On a 53 to 47 vote, the Democratic-led effort to block Mr. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the lone Democrat who voted against the resolution. GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky endorsed it.
The resolution, led by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, would have ordered the president to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless expressly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization of the use of military force.” Congress has not authorized military action against Iran.
The vote came as Republicans held an unusual and lengthy debate election law between the pressure of Mr. Trump, who has threatened to withhold his signature on other bills that reach his desk until the measure passes. The democrats were able to force the military to vote despite the takeover because the decision is privileged.
The Senate had it previously defeated the Iran war powers resolution introduced by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia on March 4. It was the second time in less than a year that the upper house voted on an effort to strengthen Mr. Trump hitting Iran, following a similar vote after the US airstrikes last June on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
But as the Iran war approaches its one-month mark, Mr. Trump has yet to define an exit strategy and he still has one. it is not forbidden to send troops into the country. The president has done it said he expects the war to end “soon,” but has not specified a timeline.
After the defeat in early March, the Democratic senators vowed to continue pressing the issue if Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testify publicly about the fight. Democratic leaders who support the war effort said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, that they would withhold votes on several resolutions if Trump officials testify in public hearings.
“We will use all the tools we have to stop business as usual and force the Senate [to do] what should have been done,” Booker told reporters earlier this month.
Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, accused the Trump administration of avoiding public hearings on Iran for fear of losing any public support for the war.
“I don’t think they can defend this fight,” Murphy told reporters earlier this month. “I think they’re going to lose votes in the Senate if they actually have to go in front of the American public and explain why fuel prices are so high, explain whether or not we’re involved in regime change, explain how they’re going to get nuclear weapons and nuclear material without attacking the world.”
Top Trump administration intelligence officials he testified Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee in a hearing aimed at releasing the annual global threat assessment, although the questions focused more on Iran. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard left Mr. Trump when pressed on the president’s statements that Iran poses an “imminent” threat to the United States.
The administration and many Republicans in Congress have argued that Mr. Trump acted within his legal authority when he ordered the strike on Iran. In a letter to Congress in early March, the president said the strikes were necessary to eliminate threats.
“Despite my Administration’s repeated efforts to find a solution to Iran’s misbehavior, the threat against the United States and its allies and partners has intensified,” the president wrote. He acknowledged that it is “impossible at this time to know the full scope and timing of military operations that may be required.”
