House rebukes Trump over Iran war powers

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to curb President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action in Iran, a rare rebuke that drew an angry response from the president and exposed divisions inside his own party.

The measure passed 215-208, with four Republicans joining Democrats to support a war powers resolution that would require Trump to withdraw U.S. forces or seek congressional approval for the conflict. The Republican lawmakers who broke with the president were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Tom Barrett of Michigan.

Trump hit back Thursday on Truth Social, calling the vote “meaningless” and accusing its supporters of acting against the country.

“Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Who would do such an unpatriotic thing,” Trump wrote.

He continued: “The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome. They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that’s a whole other story – They’re GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves.”

The White House has dismissed the measure and described it as an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power, the BBC reported. The legal force of the House action is unclear. The resolution is a concurrent measure, meaning that if it also passes the Republican-controlled Senate, it would not require the president’s signature, though it could face a legal challenge.

The Guardian reported that the Senate must promptly take up the measure under the war powers law. The Senate advanced a similar resolution in May after a handful of Republican senators joined Democrats, but it has not yet held a full floor vote, according to the BBC.

The vote was the fourth House attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers, the BBC reported. The Guardian reported that Wednesday’s vote came nearly two weeks after House Republicans canceled an earlier scheduled vote because they lacked the votes to defeat it.

The measure comes amid continued efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to the three-month conflict. The Guardian reported that those efforts have not produced an agreement, despite repeated claims by Trump and senior officials that a deal is close and that Iran is “desperate” to reach one.

The BBC reported that the resolution is seen as largely symbolic but adds pressure on the White House to find an end to the war as petrol prices have spiked and public opposition has increased. It also described the vote as the latest sign of Republican divisions, coming days after a revolt by conservatives in Congress led the administration to pull back plans for a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund for political allies.

Barrett, the Michigan Republican who supported the resolution, defended his vote.

“Congress alone declares war, that’s something certainly we need to be protective of,” he said. Asked whether he feared retribution from Trump, Barrett said: “I vote my conscience for what I think is right and willing to accept that.”

Democrat Jared Golden of Maine, who had previously voted against similar measures, supported the resolution this time, the BBC reported.