Senate Republicans on Thursday defeated a procedural motion to advance a binding war powers resolution that would compel President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities in Iran, even as a growing number of GOP lawmakers express unease over rising casualties and the absence of a clear exit strategy.
The chamber voted 47 to 49 on the motion to discharge the resolution from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Susan Collins of Maine was the sole Republican to cross party lines and support the measure, while Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to oppose it.
Absent from the vote were Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both of whom have previously backed resolutions to limit Trump's commander-in-chief authority. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Katie Britt of Alabama were also missing.
Paul told reporters on Wednesday that the conflict has weakened the United States. “I think the Iran war has not been a success. I’ve been opposed to the Iran war from the beginning. I think by any objective measure we’re worse off than we were before the war,” he said after a Senate hearing.
Other Republicans have voiced alarm over civilian casualties and the administration’s lack of a clear strategy to end the fighting. Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia said, “There’s got to be an off-ramp, that’s all there is to it.” He added, “Naturally all of us are concerned because we’ve lost three wonderful, wonderful service people in the last little while.”
Trump escalated tensions on Wednesday by threatening to destroy civilian infrastructure around Tehran if Iran strikes ships in the Strait of Hormuz. So far, 18 U.S. service members have died in the conflict.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the resolution’s sponsor, noted that this was the first Senate consideration of Trump’s war authority since the ceasefire collapsed. “It’s the first resolution since shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has once again been ground to a halt,” he said. “More civilians have been killed as well, and the United States and Iran are now deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.”
Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana, a former Navy SEAL, spoke forcefully against the measure on the floor, calling Iran’s theocratic leadership a deadly regime that must be neutralized. “This regime that we are fighting does not care about our partisan politics. They don’t care who you voted for, who you pray to, or where you live. They want to kill all of us and they don’t just say it, they actually do it,” he said.
The Senate vote came hours after four House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a non-binding war powers resolution in the lower chamber, 214-208, directing Trump to withdraw troops unless Congress formally authorizes force. The GOP defectors were Representatives Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Tom Massie of Kentucky, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
This marks the second time in weeks that Congress has debated limiting Trump’s war powers. Last month, the Senate approved a similar non-binding resolution, leading to a tense June 24 meeting where Trump berated GOP senators who supported it, including Paul, Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Cassidy and Paul later switched their votes, and Senate Republicans defeated a separate binding resolution from Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.
Cassidy voted “no” on Thursday’s motion after receiving a White House briefing from Vice President JD Vance. Paul voted “present” on the earlier measure to “give the president more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace.” The resolution considered Thursday would require Trump’s signature to become law, unlike the earlier non-binding versions.
Read more: Enthusiasm gap threatens GOP midterm hopes despite tied generic ballot and House GOP pushes forward with high-stakes vote despite internal divisions.
