Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Wednesday demanded that the Trump administration immediately cease military operations against Iran, intensifying legislative efforts to wind down the months-long conflict. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Kaine pointed to the House's passage of three Iran war powers resolutions, labeling the war “triply illegal.”
The Virginia Democrat, who authored a war powers resolution that cleared the Senate in June, said the upper chamber is “likely to pass a second one soon.” That earlier measure drew support from four Republicans who broke with their party, but Kaine acknowledged that the administration has shown little appetite for bowing to public pressure.
“The war should end immediately because it's illegal and foolish,” Kaine said. However, he added, “I don't think you can expect the president to do that.”
The conflict has taken a heavy toll, with critics citing U.S. service member casualties and soaring global energy prices tied to the near-shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane. The war has also become deeply unpopular at home: a July Marquette Law School poll found that three-quarters of Americans believe the war is “not worth the cost.”
Gas prices have spiked, with the national average reaching roughly $4.47 per gallon on Wednesday, up from about $3.17 a year ago, according to AAA. At a rally in North Carolina last week, the president dismissed concerns, saying that higher prices are “a very inexpensive price to pay for what we've done.”
The political fallout is spreading. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), locked in a tight reelection race, told Politico on Tuesday that he wants the war to “come to an end as quickly as possible so we can lower gas prices.” Yet a spokesperson said Husted will not back the Democrats' war powers resolution, which is non-binding.
Other Republicans are also resisting. Sen. John Kennedy (La.) told CBS News on Wednesday that “we all want the war to end” but refused to support a resolution, arguing that Congress should not “pull the rug out from under our commander in chief” while the U.S. is “winning.” He suggested the push is largely political and “would hurt America.”
The divide highlights the growing tension on Capitol Hill over the conflict, with Democrats and some Republicans pushing for a swift exit while the administration and its allies argue for staying the course. As the war enters its seventh month, the debate over its legality, cost, and strategy shows no signs of abating.
