US House Rejects Bid to Halt Trump’s Iran Military Action

The United States House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a resolution that aimed to stop military action against Iran and require President Donald Trump to seek approval from Congress before continuing the conflict.

Lawmakers voted 219 to 212 against the measure, mostly along party lines. Republicans, who currently hold a narrow majority in the House, largely supported the president’s military campaign. Two Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, while four Democrats voted against it.

The resolution was introduced by Democrats who argued that Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority to approve war. According to the US Constitution, Congress is responsible for authorizing military conflicts.

During the debate, Republican Representative Rick Crawford criticized Democrats for bringing the issue to the floor, suggesting the vote was politically motivated.

“We all know that we wouldn't be here today if the president's name wasn't Donald Trump,” Crawford said during Wednesday’s debate.

Supporters of the resolution said it would force the administration to clearly explain why the United States is fighting Iran and how the conflict would end. Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described the conflict as a “war of choice” launched without congressional authorization or clear objectives.

The tensions escalated after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran last Saturday. The ongoing conflict has reportedly killed more than 1,000 people, including at least six US service members, and has increased instability across the Middle East.

Just before voting on the resolution, lawmakers from both parties overwhelmingly approved another measure stating that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

Even if the House had approved the resolution, it would not have immediately ended the conflict. The measure would also have needed approval from the United States Senate and a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a likely presidential veto.

The Senate, which is also narrowly controlled by Republicans, voted on Wednesday to block a similar bipartisan resolution that sought to limit the president’s war powers regarding Iran.

However, the debate over presidential authority may continue under the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The law allows the president to deploy military forces without congressional approval only in cases of a declared war, specific authorization, or a direct threat to the United States.

The Trump administration has argued that Iran posed an “imminent threat,” making the military action legal under the law.

Still, the War Powers Resolution requires any unauthorized military operation to end within 60 days, unless Congress grants approval. This means the administration could face a deadline by the end of April to seek formal authorization from Congress if the conflict continues.