GOP Lawmakers Join Democrats to Demand War Powers Vote on Iran Action
Congress is escalating a constitutional fight over President Donald Trump’s authority to use U.S. military force after joint airstrikes on Iran that lawmakers said lacked congressional approval.
Lawmakers from both parties are preparing a rare war powers vote next week that would require Trump to secure authorization from Congress before continuing military operations, raising new tension between branches of government already at odds over Iran policy.
According to the Associated Press, House members including Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Ro Khanna of California are pushing a war powers resolution in the House. A second Republican, Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio, publicly backed the effort on Thursday, saying “war requires congressional authorization.”
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Most Republican leaders have praised Trump’s strikes against Iran, but the demand for a vote exposes an unusual bipartisan revolt against unilateral military action. Senators and representatives have argued that the Constitution vests the power to declare war in Congress, and that circumventing that process risks eroding checks and balances.
“This is not ‘America First,’” Massie said in a social post, signaling his opposition to military escalation without legislative oversight.
If the measures advance, Congress could formally put the president’s power on record and force Trump to justify future actions to elected lawmakers. Trump is widely expected to veto any resolution that limits his authority.
The outcome of next week’s votes will shape how far Congress is willing to assert its constitutional war powers in the face of executive military decisions.
What happens next will be determined by how many Republicans are willing to cross party lines to back congressional oversight.
Closing day for the initial war powers vote in both chambers is expected soon.
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