The U.S. House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution Wednesday that would require President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran or seek congressional approval for the conflict. The vote passed 215-208. Four Republicans joined a united front of Democrats to push the measure through.
Trump responded Thursday morning on Truth Social, calling the vote "meaningless" and attacking the lawmakers who opposed him. "Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Who would do such an unpatriotic thing," Trump wrote.
He continued his post by targeting both parties. "The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome. They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that's a whole other story - They're GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves," Trump wrote.
The White House has dismissed the resolution as an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power. The measure is a concurrent resolution, meaning that if it also passes the Republican-controlled Senate, it would not require the president's signature. It could, however, face a legal challenge.
The four Republicans who voted with Democrats were Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett, and Warren Davidson. Democrat Jared Golden of Maine, who had previously voted against similar measures, supported the resolution this time.
Representative Tom Barrett, a Republican from Michigan, defended his vote. "Congress alone declares war, that's something certainly we need to be protective of," he said. Asked whether he feared retribution from Trump, Barrett said: "I vote my conscience for what I think is right and willing to accept that."
According to BBC News, the passage of Wednesday's resolution adds pressure on the White House to find an end to the war as petrol prices have spiked and public opposition has grown. The vote also marked another sign of division inside the Republican Party, coming just days after a revolt by conservatives led the administration to pull back plans for a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund for political allies.
This was the fourth time the House has attempted to rein in Trump's war powers. The Senate advanced a similar resolution in May but has not yet held a full floor vote.
Meanwhile, according to NPR, Senate Republicans are moving forward to attempt to pass a separate $70 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. The anti-weaponization fund became a sticking point there as well. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recently told Congress that the administration had scrapped its plans for the fund, but Trump later avoided confirming Blanche's claim.
NPR reported that Senator John Cornyn of Texas said the only way to guarantee the fund is dead is "for Congress to put a stake through it." Republican lawmakers have proposed two amendments to permanently block the fund, though it remains unclear whether Senate rules will allow those amendments to be included in the unrelated immigration funding package.
NPR's Sam Gringlas noted that more Republican lawmakers are beginning to question whether it is worthwhile to try to maintain loyalty to Trump, at a time when Trump has shown he is willing to move against members of his own party he deems insufficiently loyal.
