US Congress set to vote on Trump’s Iran war decision

The US Congress is heading towards a vote on Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s decision to launch military action against Iran, setting up a significant test in Congress as the conflict spreads across the Middle East with no clear American exit strategy.

The legislation, known as a war powers resolution, would require congressional approval before further US attacks are carried out. A similar bill is expected to be voted on in the House of Representatives later this week.

The measures face difficult prospects in the Republican-controlled Congress and would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump even if passed. Still, the vote marks a key moment for lawmakers, whose positions on the five-day-old conflict could influence the future direction of the war and its political consequences ahead of upcoming elections.

“Wars without clear objectives do not remain small. They get bigger, bloodier, longer and more expensive,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference on Tuesday. “This is not a necessary war. It's a war of choice.”

Trump administration seeks support

The Trump administration has been working to rally support in Congress since launching surprise strikes on Iran on Saturday. Senior officials have held multiple briefings for lawmakers this week in an effort to reassure them that the conflict remains under control.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday that the administration did not intend to expose American troops to unnecessary danger.

“We are not going to put American troops in harm's way,” Rubio said.

However, the conflict has already resulted in US casualties. Six American service members were killed over the weekend in a drone strike in Kuwait, while hundreds of people across the region have died in the fighting.

Trump has not ruled out the possibility of deploying US ground troops in Iran, though he has suggested he hopes to end the current bombing campaign within weeks.

The administration’s stated goals for the war have also shifted in recent days, ranging from preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons to crippling its navy and missile programmes.

Divisions in Congress

Most Republican senators are expected to vote against the war powers resolution, which seeks to halt further military action without congressional authorisation. However, some lawmakers have expressed reservations about sending US troops into Iran.

“I don't think the American people want to see troops on the ground,” said Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, after attending a classified briefing on Tuesday. He said administration officials had not ruled out such a move but were not emphasising it as a preferred option.

Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia who introduced the resolution, said the vote would force lawmakers to publicly declare their position on the war.

“Nobody gets to hide and give the president an easy pass or an end-run around the Constitution,” Kaine said. “Everybody's got to declare whether they're for this war or against it.”

Republican leaders have previously defeated similar war powers resolutions related to other conflicts involving the Trump administration. However, lawmakers say the current situation is different because the confrontation with Iran could develop into a prolonged regional conflict.

House vote expected

The debate is also intensifying in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers are preparing for their own vote later this week.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he believed there were enough votes to defeat the resolution. “I do believe we have the votes to defeat it, I certainly hope we do,” he said following a briefing for lawmakers.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats were expected to strongly support the measure.

Representative Gregory Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, urged the administration to present its case to Congress and the American public.

“Our young men and women's lives are on the line,” Meeks said after a closed-door briefing on Tuesday night.