Senate blocks effort to check Trump's war powers
Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Donald Trump from further escalating with Iran were blocked on Friday, with Republicans opposed to a resolution marking Congress’ first attempt to reassert its war powers following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced the war powers resolution, which calls for Trump to get congressional approval before entering the conflict between Israel and Iran. This measure would need 51 votes to pass, CBS News reported.
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FILE-President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside Vice President JD Vance (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, D.C. on June 21, 2025. (Photo by CARL
Kaine told reporters earlier this week prior to Trump’s ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel that he expects bipartisan support for the measure, the Associated Press reported.
According to the Associated Press, some critics argue that Trump violated the War Powers Act by striking the Iran nuclear sites with little input from Congress, while advocates of Trump’s move contend he responded to an immediate threat and is trying to avoid a lengthy conflict.
Trump did not seek approval when he sanctioned the Iran airstrikes, but he sent congressional leaders a short letter Monday serving as his official notice of the strikes, which occurred Saturday between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. EDT, or roughly 2:10 a.m. on Sunday in Iran.
The AP reported that the letter said the strike was taken "to advance vital United States national interests, and in collective self-defense of our ally, Israel, by eliminating Iran’s nuclear program."
What is the War Powers Act?
The backstory:
The War Powers Act is a law passed in the early 1970s created to split authority over military action between Congress and the president.
According to the Associated Press, the War Powers Resolution specifies how the president should collaborate with legislators to deploy troops if Congress hasn’t already issued a declaration of war.
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The act states that Congress and the president should use its "collective judgement" to send troops into "hostilities." The War Powers Act requests that the president "in every possible instance" should "consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces."
Citing the law, the AP noted that unless a Declaration of War has already been passed or Congress has authorized deploying forces, the president has 48 hours after deploying troops to send a written report to congressional leadership explaining the decision.
On June 17, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif. introduced a bipartisan measure to restrict Trump from getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict without congressional approval.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting, the Associated Press, which provides background on the War Powers Act, and CBS News. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.