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The US Senate voted late Wednesday to reject a measure aimed at limiting President Donald Trump's war powers regarding Iran, a day after a similar resolution passed with bipartisan support. The vote, which failed 47-50-1, came hours after Trump harangued Republican senators during a lunch on Capitol Hill, escalating a feud that has disrupted the chamber's business.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from The Guardian and The Hindu detail a heated exchange between Trump and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, one of four Republicans who had voted with Democrats on the previous resolution. The Guardian, citing Cassidy's interview on CBS News's Face the Nation, reported that Cassidy accused Trump of treating Congress as "merely an appendage" in his handling of the Iran war. Cassidy told the program that after Trump "berated" him and three other Republicans, he let his "Irish temper" get the best of him, saying, "I raised my volume to match his."

The Jerusalem Post's coverage focused on the Senate vote itself, noting the measure was proposed by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and failed 50-47-1, with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voting in favor. The Post also reported that Trump called the Republicans who voted against him "losers" and that both Cassidy and Rand Paul changed their votes on the new measure.

Key Claims

  • The Senate rejected a war powers resolution, failing 47-50-1, just before midnight on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, according to reports from The Guardian and The Hindu.
  • The measure, proposed by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, called for the removal of US Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran that had not been authorized by Congress, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Bill Cassidy, who lost reelection last month after Trump endorsed his opponent, initially voted for the war powers resolution but later voted against a nearly identical measure after receiving a briefing from Vice President J.D. Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff, according to The Guardian and The Hindu.
  • Rand Paul, who had voted with Democrats previously, voted present this time, stating he did so "to give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace," as reported by The Guardian.
  • Trump called the Republicans who voted against him "losers" and called Cassidy a "lunatic" at the lunch, according to multiple reports.
  • Cassidy accused Trump of acting "as if Congress is merely an appendage," as reported by The Hindu, citing an interview with CBS News's Face the Nation.

Perspectives

Trump Administration

President Trump praised the vote on his Truth Social account, mentioning Senators Paul and Cassidy for changing their minds and claiming the measure "puts Iran on notice," as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

Cassidy defended his decision to vote against the war powers resolution, thanking Vice President Vance and Special Envoy Witkoff for their briefing and saying it addressed many of his concerns. He also expressed anger over the lack of congressional briefings, arguing that the Constitution designed Congress to check presidential power, according to The Hindu.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)

Paul explained his present vote as a way to "give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace," as reported by The Guardian and The Hindu.