Senate Republicans Reject War Powers Measure After Trump Criticizes Them
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Republican senators voted down a war powers resolution on Iran following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump, who had earlier rebuked them for opposing his stance.
Senate Republicans voted 47-50-1 to reject a war powers resolution on Iran late Wednesday, a reversal of a similar measure that had passed the day before. The vote came after President Donald Trump publicly chastised GOP senators for allowing a vote that blocked his proposed action against Iran, calling them “losers” and labeling Senator Bill Cassidy a “lunatic.”
Cassidy, who had voted with Democrats on the earlier measure, later received a briefing on the issue from Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House. He thanked them in a post on X, saying the briefing addressed his concerns. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, another frequent opponent of the war, voted present, stating he wanted to give the president “more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the president was pleased with the outcome, and Trump later posted that the vote “puts Iran on notice.” Both the rejected resolution and the earlier one passed by the House were largely symbolic and do not carry the force of law.
The episode unfolded amid broader tensions between Trump and Senate Republicans, including the president’s decision to delay signing a bipartisan housing affordability bill until lawmakers advance his SAVE America Act, a proof-of-citizenship voting proposal. Republicans expressed frustration that the housing legislation was being used as leverage, with Senator Thom Tillis calling the tactic “nonsensical.”
The discord highlights ongoing disagreements within the GOP as the party prepares for the upcoming midterm elections.
