US Senate refuses to rein in Trump, allowing him to continue Iran strikes expanding Middle East war

The US Senate on Wednesday rejected an effort to curb President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military operations against Iran, voting largely along party lines to block a war powers resolution that would have required congressional approval for the expanding conflict.

The measure failed by a vote of 53 to 47, allowing the administration to continue prosecuting its joint military campaign with Israel — Operation Epic Fury — which began four days earlier with sweeping strikes across Iranian territory.

The vote marked the first major congressional test of political support for the war, exposing sharp partisan divisions as lawmakers grapple with the legality and strategic scope of the conflict, which has already resulted in American casualties and triggered regional escalation.

Paul was the only Republican to support the measure, underscoring the overwhelming backing Trump continues to receive from his party on Capitol Hill.

Among Democrats, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke with his party to oppose the resolution, reflecting his strong support for Israel and reluctance to restrict the president’s ability to act militarily in its defence.

Ahead of the vote, Kaine argued that Congress had been sidelined from a decision that could reshape the Middle East.

“Americans want President Trump to lower prices, not drag us into unnecessary forever wars,” Kaine said ahead of the vote. “Yet he has unilaterally launched strikes at Iran without congressional authorization.”

Kaine and Paul had first introduced the measure in January as the administration began building up forces across the Middle East, shortly after Trump declared that the United States was “locked and loaded and ready to go” against Iran.

Supporters of the operation argued that the strikes were justified given Iran’s long record of attacks against American forces and regional allies.

Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, paid tribute to US personnel killed during the fighting. “the six American servicemen and women who’ve died in the fighting”

He added that he was also mourning “the thousands of Americans that have died over the last 47 years at hands of the brutal Islamists.”

Wicker praised the president’s decision to initiate the operation as “profound, deliberate and correct.”

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky also defended the campaign, arguing that Iran’s hostility toward the United States and Israel has been foundational to the Islamic Republic.

“the Islamic Republic of Iran was, quite literally, founded on the premise of existential war against America and against Israel. And over and over again, it has escalated the war, exported more terror, spilled more blood and destabilized an entire region.”

However, McConnell cautioned that presidential war powers must remain constrained by public support and national interest, noting that the president’s authority must be exercised in a manner that is

“judicious, rooted in core national interests and broadly supported by the American people.”

Josh Hawley of Missouri emphasised that he would oppose the deployment of US ground forces.

“I’ve always drawn a line at ground troops,” he said, adding that if Trump sought to send them, “require some sort of authorization.”

Lawmakers from both parties have also called for continued classified briefings as the scope of the military campaign grows.

Hegseth described overwhelming US and Israeli dominance in the air.

Iranian leaders were looking up at the skies “and seeing only US and Israeli air power, every minute of every day until we decide it’s over. And Iran will be able to do nothing about it.

“Death and destruction from the sky, all day long.”

Caine said the strikes had severely damaged Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and naval forces while preparing to expand deeper into Iranian territory. "The campaign had devastated Iran’s ballistic missile program and its naval fleet, and that it continued to make “steady progress” with plans to “expand inland, striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory.”

Although the US Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war, lawmakers have not issued a formal declaration since the Second World War. Instead, presidents have relied on broad authorisations or inherent executive authority to conduct military operations.

In this case, the administration’s notification to Congress did not cite an existing authorisation, instead referencing the president’s “responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests both at home and abroad” without pointing to a specific or imminent threat.

Some Republicans acknowledged frustration over the lack of consultation but argued that halting the operation now could endanger U.S. forces.

John Curtis of Utah said lawmakers should have been involved earlier.

“I will say very clearly: Yes, I wish I would have been consulted. I wish my vote would have been asked for before this.”

However, he argued that withdrawing support at this stage would be dangerous.

Voting to halt the operation, he added, “is not the right answer to this.”

Democrats countered that the vote reflected a troubling erosion of congressional authority.

Adam Schiff of California warned that lawmakers were failing to uphold the Constitution.

“I believe the founders’ worst fears have come to pass,” Schiff said ahead of the vote. “Donald Trump has become too fond of going to war, and has done so again without congressional authorization.”

Late Wednesday, Israel launched a fresh wave of attacks on Tehran, while Turkey’s defence ministry said NATO air defences had intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran that was heading toward Turkish airspace.

If confirmed, such an attack would mark a dangerous escalation involving a NATO member state that hosts a major US military base.

Meanwhile, China — the largest purchaser of Iranian oil — announced it would dispatch a special envoy to the Middle East to pursue mediation efforts.

Western governments are also taking precautionary measures. The United States ordered additional diplomatic staff to evacuate embassies in several countries, while Britain, France and Greece began deploying military assets to protect their citizens and strategic interests.

Israel simultaneously intensified strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, ordering mass evacuations south of the Litani River.

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