The US-Iran war: Congress's war powers votes and the fight over the war

As a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution approached in May, the White House argued that an extended ceasefire meant hostilities with Iran had "terminated" and that US forces did not need to disengage to comply with the law.^[10] Later in May, the Senate advanced a measure seeking to force an end to the war or congressional authorization. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana supported it days after losing his primary to a Trump-endorsed candidate; that vote advanced the legislation rather than passing it.^[11] In early June, the House passed a resolution directing Trump to end hostilities, with four Republicans joining Democrats.^[1]

On June 23, the Senate approved a war powers resolution 50-48 on its tenth attempt.^[4] It then voted to undo that action after a heated meeting between Trump and Republican senators, with Sens. Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy changing their votes.^[5] In July, Trump formally notified Congress that military action against Iran had resumed. The administration sought to treat that notification as starting a new 60-day period for military action without congressional approval, an interpretation Democrats disputed.^[12]

Later in July, the House passed another resolution aimed at halting military action, with four Republicans joining Democrats. Reporting described that measure as nonbinding.^[2] The House passed a third measure in September,^[3] but another Senate attempt to restrict Trump's war powers failed 49-50 on September 24.^[6]

Congress also faced decisions about paying for the war. In July, House Republicans adopted a $95 billion budget proposal covering the Iran war and other administration priorities. It began a further budget process rather than establishing that all the proposed spending had become law.^[13] In September, the Congressional Budget Office put the war's cost at approximately $38 billion and estimated additional monthly costs of $2 billion to $3 billion.^[7]

Trump continued forecasting a quick end. At the outset he said operations were projected to last four to five weeks, while saying he was prepared to continue longer.^[14] In early October, he predicted the war would end "right after the election" if not sooner, as reporting described another 9,000 US troops heading to the Middle East.^[15] CNN's fact checker reported that Trump had subsequently misrepresented his earlier predictions of a war lasting weeks.^[16] After Republicans lost both chambers in the midterms, Vice President JD Vance blamed the war for the defeat, and Trump said "a lot of people didn't like" those comments.^[17] Senate Democrats said they had some Republican support for an effort to bring the war to a halt once they took the majority next year.^[18] Some Senate Democrats also weighed using a December government funding deadline to force an end to the war, though party leaders had not decided whether to risk a shutdown.^[19]