The House of Representatives deadlocked in a 212-212 vote, blocking a resolution offered by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., that would have forced Trump to end hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every Democratic lawmaker except for Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted for the measure. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a leading Trump foe, and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Tom Barrett, R-Mich., were the lone Republicans to cross party lines in support of the resolution.<\/p>\n
Several lawmakers in both parties did not vote.<\/p>\n
![\"Rep.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/rep-thomas-massie-sept-2025.jpg\")
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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., stands outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 3, 2025. (Graeme Sloan\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
WHERE AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR TRUMP\u2019S IRAN STRIKE STANDS AS NEW POLLS ROLL IN<\/a><\/p>\n The failed vote comes after peace talks between Washington and Tehran stalled in recent weeks, though the ceasefire has largely stayed intact despite sporadic fighting.<\/p>\n Trump said Monday the ceasefire was “on life support” and reiterated his demand that Iran end its nuclear program.\u00a0<\/p>\n Amid the stalemate, congressional Democrats<\/a> have linked the war to voter concern about affordability in an effort to pressure GOP lawmakers to buck the president.<\/p>\n “The single fastest way to bring down costs is to end this war,” House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said on the House floor Wednesday. “And once again, Republicans are going to have an opportunity to do just that. Once again, they have a chance to bring our service members home and end this chaos.”<\/p>\n But Republicans have argued that limiting Trump\u2019s war powers could undermine his ability to end the conflict.<\/p>\n “By putting an arbitrary limitation on America’s ability to deploy both kinetic as well as diplomatic pressure on Iran, I think it ends up harming our ability to negotiate, to get Iran to stand down,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, a colonel in the Air Force Reserve, told Fox News Digital in an interview.<\/p>\n “What I’ve seen from the president is a clear desire to stop Iran’s ability from having a nuclear weapon and in their ability to be the number one sponsor of state terrorism,” he added.<\/p>\n A woman holds the Iranian flag in front of an anti-U.S. billboard at Valiasr Square in Tehran on May 10, 2026. (Atta Kenare\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n TRUMP\u2019S IRAN STRIKES GET LEGAL COVER AS SCHOLARS SAY ARTICLE II PLAYBOOK SPANS OBAMA ERA AND BEYOND<\/a><\/p>\n The vast majority of Republicans have continued to stand by Trump\u2019s Iran strategy despite the administration cruising past a 60-day deadline<\/a> to seek congressional approval of the conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n The president has argued the indefinite ceasefire that began April 7 effectively stopped the clock. Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> has also contended that the 1973 War Powers Resolution giving Congress a say over the use of military force is unconstitutional.<\/p>\n Across the Capitol, GOP support for the war in Iran appears to be on shakier ground.<\/p>\n The Senate narrowly defeated a war powers resolution<\/a> on Wednesday, the seventh attempt from Democrats since Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28, that would have ended hostilities with Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sens. Rand Paul,<\/a> R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, crossed party lines to support the measure curbing Trump\u2019s war powers while Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in opposition. Just one more GOP yes vote would have allowed the resolution to clear the chamber.<\/p>\n Murkowski, who flipped her vote<\/a> to support the war powers resolution, said Wednesday that the administration\u2019s timeline in Iran “has taken us beyond the 60 days” deadline for Congress to authorize or halt the conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n She had hoped the administration would provide more clarity, but that information hadn’t come, prompting her to join with Democrats in curbing Trump\u2019s war powers.<\/p>\n Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 3, 2025, following a vote. (Graeme Sloan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iranian-flag-valiasr-square-tehran-fox-news-001.jpeg\")
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