The U.S. Senate has again blocked a resolution to limit President Trump’s military authority in the ongoing seven-week war with Iran, despite a recent escalation to a naval blockade following failed peace talks.
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a Democratic-led war-powers resolution for the fourth time, as the military conflict with Iran enters its seventh week following the start of “Operation Epic Fury” on February 28. The 52–47 vote, which fell largely along party lines, underscores continued Republican support for President Donald Trump’s strategy, which recently escalated to a full naval blockade of Iranian ports after weekend peace negotiations in Islamabad failed.
While Vice President JD Vance’s efforts to secure a deal were unsuccessful, President Trump told Fox Business on Wednesday that the war is “close to over,” a sentiment echoed by Senator Josh Hawley, who stated that an immediate end to the conflict “would be ideal.” Senator Rand Paul, the sole Republican to support the measure, warned that he expects more colleagues to join him once the 60-day legal threshold for unauthorized hostilities is reached later this month.Despite the defeat, Senator Tim Kaine vowed that Democrats would continue forced weekly votes to “make clear to the American people who owns this war,” highlighting the persistent divide over the executive branch’s authority to wage war without a formal congressional mandate.