House blocks Rashida Tlaib's resolution calling for removal of all US troops from Lebanon - report

Lead

The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to defeat a resolution introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove all US armed forces from Lebanon within seven days. The measure was rejected by a vote of 324 to 92, according to reports from Axios and the Jerusalem Post.

Coverage Comparison

Both the Jerusalem Post and Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported on the vote, with consistent details on the outcome. The resolution failed with 92 votes in favor and 324 against. Among Democrats, 91 voted in favor and 117 opposed, while only one Republican — Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky — supported the measure. Two Democrats voted present, according to Axios via the Jerusalem Post.

Key Claims

The resolution, formally titled as a Lebanon War Powers Resolution, would have required the president to remove all US armed forces from "any hostilities" in Lebanon within seven days of adoption. The text was aimed at ending US involvement in what Tlaib described as Israel's military operations in Lebanon.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar issued a joint statement opposing the measure. They asserted that "there are no US service-members involved in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon" and expressed support for the Lebanese government and armed forces in their efforts "to live peacefully and defeat Hezbollah." The statement, quoted by CBS and reported by the Jerusalem Post, highlighted the Democratic leadership's rationale for the vote.

Tlaib defended her resolution on the House floor and on social media, arguing that the US is an "active participant" in what she called Israel's "war crimes" in Lebanon. She cited a statistic that "11 more Lebanese children are killed or injured" each day, referencing a UNICEF report that said 77 children in Lebanon had been killed over the course of a week amid Israeli strikes. This statistic was reported by the Jerusalem Post, though it was not independently verified by other sources.

Perspectives

Supporters of the resolution, led by Tlaib, argued that continued US military presence and support for Israel's operations in Lebanon constituted participation in a conflict that was causing significant civilian casualties. Tlaib's statement on the House floor, as quoted by CBS, called for an end to US involvement in what she termed a "violent assault on Lebanon."

Opponents, including Democratic leaders and Jewish Democratic Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Dan Goldman, framed the vote differently. Nadler and Goldman wrote in a joint press release that their opposition "should not be taken as an approval of Prime Minister Netanyahu's prosecution of Israel's military action in Lebanon." They emphasized that US forces in Lebanon are there to support the Lebanese government, which "deserves our assistance."

The vote also highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party over Israel policy. While a majority of Democrats voted with Republicans to defeat the measure, 91 Democrats supported it, showing notable progressive opposition to US involvement in the conflict.

Additionally, the ceasefire context was mentioned in reports. The Jerusalem Post noted that Hezbollah rejected the ceasefire plan agreed upon by Israel and Lebanon, underscoring the volatile situation on the ground.

An alternative resolution, reportedly supported by Democratic leadership, would have preserved cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces in their fight against Hezbollah, according to the Jerusalem Post. This proposal was not brought to a vote.

As of this reporting, the White House has not commented on the vote. The defeat of the resolution leaves existing US military deployments in Lebanon unchanged, and no further legislative action on this matter has been announced.