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WASHINGTON: The US Senate blocked an Iran war powers resolution late on Wednesday night, abruptly reversing course hours after a closed-door lunch between President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers erupted into a fierce shouting match over the conflict. The late-night procedural vote ended in a 50-47 tally to block the measure, which originally advanced in May. The resolution directed Trump to withdraw US forces from hostilities with Iran until Congress authorises the deployment.

The turnaround came after intense White House pressure, prompting two Republican senators who supported previous checks on executive authority to alter their stances. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana voted no, while Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted 'present'.

Coverage comparison

Reporting from Dawn, which covered the events from Washington, describes the lunchtime meeting as contentious, with Trump lashing out at lawmakers. Senator John Kennedy told The New York Times that Trump 'was mad as a murder hornet,' and other attendees said the president aired a long list of grievances. During the high-volume exchange, Trump engaged in a shouting match with Cassidy, who demanded the administration explain a framework deal signed last week.

Cassidy reversed his stance after receiving an afternoon White House briefing. On social media platform X, Cassidy thanked Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for the thorough briefing.

The Senate vote itself was largely along party lines, with two Republicans, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voting with every Democrat except one in favor of the resolution. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democratic no vote. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Michael Bennet of Colorado did not vote.

Key claims

  • The US Senate blocked an Iran war powers resolution by a 50-47 vote, with the measure having advanced on a procedural vote in May.
  • President Trump lashed out at Republicans during a closed-door lunch on Capitol Hill, with the exchange escalating into a shouting match with Senator Bill Cassidy.
  • Senators Bill Cassidy and Rand Paul shifted positions following White House intervention; Cassidy voted no and Paul voted present.
  • The administration seeks $70 billion for the war, needing Democrats to pass the 60-vote barrier in the Senate.
  • Trump's approval rating is at its lowest since returning to office, as reported by Dawn.
  • Regional scepticism in the Middle East regarding the proposed peace deal has emerged, with many states viewing the accord as too generous to Tehran.
  • Israel is engaged in a parallel war in Lebanon.

Perspectives

The White House and its allies frame the vote as a necessary check on congressional overreach, with Trump stating on social media after the vote, "This vote puts Iran on notice," although it does not affect the earlier vote.

Senator Cassidy, speaking before his reversal, expressed concerns about the transparency of the administration's strategy: "The American people need to know more than we are being told. It does not appear, although I don't know for sure, that the course of this is going the way that we were told." His comments reflect a broader unease among some Republicans about the direction of the conflict.