Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R.S., arrives at the Capitol in Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
J. Scott Applewhite | AP
The Senate on Tuesday voted to adopt the Iran War Powers Resolution, which directs President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from engaging Iran, in a symbolic bipartisan rebuke of the president’s handling of the conflict.
The 50-48 vote came amid growing resistance in Congress to President Trump’s Iran policy.
Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Susan Collins (Maine), Rand Paul (Kentucky), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) joined most Democrats in voting in favor of the resolution. Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, joined most Republicans in opposing it.
Two Republicans, Sens. Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) and Dave McCormick (Pennsylvania), did not vote. McConnell has been feeling unwell, and McCormick attended a rally in Pennsylvania with President Trump.
This bill (concurrent resolution) was not sent to President Trump’s desk and will not become law. In other words, it does not force an immediate change in US policy. But this symbolic vote is an escalation in Congress’ efforts to reaffirm its role, both military and diplomatic, in President Trump’s Iran policy.
Lawmakers from both parties have called for limits on further U.S. military action against Iran, while demanding more information about the administration’s memorandum of understanding with the Iranian government.
Democrats have repeatedly pushed for votes in recent months to limit President Trump’s war powers in Iran, an effort that is gradually gaining support from Republicans. Tuesday’s vote marks the 10th Senate vote on the Iranian war powers bill since the beginning of the year.
The House approved a similar resolution earlier this month, with four Republicans joining Democrats. After the vote, President Trump called the Republicans “grandstanders” and slammed their actions as “unpatriotic.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D.Y.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and sponsor of the House war powers resolution, said after the Senate vote that he intends to ensure that the Trump administration complies with the resolution.
“Regardless of what President Trump says, this action is binding under the War Powers Resolution, and we will explore every legal avenue to ensure that the executive branch follows the wishes of Congress,” Meeks said in a statement.
Tuesday’s Senate vote came shortly after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he expected Congress to likely vote on a broader Iran deal emerging from the Trump administration’s 60-day negotiating period, but said it remains to be seen what form that vote will take.
“If there is some kind of deal, at some point there will be some sort of vote in Congress,” Thun told reporters. “Whether it’s a resolution of disapproval or something, I don’t know the answer to that,” he added.
Asked what role Congress should play in approving what comes out of the negotiations, Thune said many senators “want to hear more” from officials still involved in the negotiations.
Several Republican senators have praised President Trump’s efforts to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but they have also expressed concerns about possible sanctions relief, a freeze on Iranian assets, a proposed reconstruction fund, and whether Tehran would accept enforceable limits on its nuclear program.
Thune told reporters last week that nuclear elements of the nuclear deal could trigger reporting requirements to Congress. However, he voted against the War Powers Resolution.
The United States and Iran met in Switzerland over the weekend, along with representatives from Pakistan and Qatar, to discuss terms for a final deal and an end to the fighting in Lebanon involving Israel.
