Four House Republicans broke with Donald Trump and GOP leadership on Wednesday, helping Democrats pass a resolution aimed at limiting the president’s authority to engage in military action against Iran without congressional approval. The measure passed the House by a narrow 215-208 vote.
Which Republicans voted against Trump?
Four Republicans crossed party lines to support the resolution:
Thomas Massie
Brian Fitzpatrick
Tom Barrett
Warren Davidson
Their votes joined those of House Democrats in approving the measure introduced by Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
What does the resolution do?
The resolution directs Trump to remove US armed forces from hostilities involving Iran unless Congress formally declares war or authorizes military action. Because it is a concurrent resolution, it would need approval from both chambers of Congress but would not go to the president for his signature. As a result, the measure is largely viewed as a symbolic statement of congressional opposition rather than a binding order.
Still, the vote represents a significant setback for the White House.
Vote delayed before finally passing
The measure was originally scheduled for a vote on May 21 before being pulled from the House floor at the last minute. At the time, Democrats accused Republican leaders of delaying the vote because the resolution appeared poised to pass amid GOP absences.
“A lot of my Republican colleagues are feeling the pressure back home when they’re looking at the cost of food, the cost of gas,” Meeks previously told CNN. “(Johnson) is feeling heat. He’s trying to cover for the president. … But I think the time of him being able to cover for the president is rapidly ending.”
Wednesday’s successful vote came after several previous Democratic attempts to limit Trump’s war powers had failed earlier this year.
Mike Johnson’s chilling Iran warning
House Speaker Mike Johnson strongly opposed the measure, arguing that it could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.
“I think it is a very dangerous prospect to take away from the administration and the commander-in-chief right now the ability to negotiate. That’s what this does. It, it weakens us, our position, and our leverage in negotiation on the peace in that situation. ‘Operation Epic Fury’ is concluded,” Johnson told CNN.
The Louisiana Republican insisted the administration had already achieved its objectives in Iran and said Trump should be given flexibility to pursue a peace agreement.
“The president is now in the process of, of concluding a peace agreement, and we have to allow him the latitude to do that, and I think a war powers resolution right now is very untimely, and a very, very negative, and dangerous thing for the country,” he said.
Republicans dismiss vote
Many Republicans echoed Johnson’s concerns and criticized the measure as a political maneuver. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast called the vote unnecessary.
“I think there’s no Democrat, no Republican, that can tell you what forces they would want pulled from Iran. There’s really nothing they actually want pulled from there. They just want a stupid political vote, which is what this is,” Mast said Wednesday.
“This weakens the president’s hands as he’s negotiating with Iran.”
What happens next?
The House vote adds momentum to a separate Senate effort to curb Trump’s military authority regarding Iran. Senators have already advanced their own version of a war powers resolution, which carries stronger enforcement provisions and would require the president to end military action absent congressional approval.
Even if the Senate ultimately passes its measure, it would still need House approval and could face a presidential veto.