US Senate votes to halt Iran war in rebuke to Trump

FILE PHOTO: People drive past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

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On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate supported a legislative measure aimed at ending American military operations against Iran, though its actual impact on the ongoing conflict remains uncertain as the Trump administration continues peace talks with the Islamic republic.

The Senate approved the concurrent resolution by a 50-48 margin, following its passage in the House earlier this month. The vote highlights increasing unease—even among some Republican lawmakers—about the widely criticized war that began on February 28.

Support largely followed party lines, with four Republicans breaking ranks to side with nearly all Democrats; two Republican senators did not participate in the vote.

The resolution calls on President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from any hostilities involving Iran, but it is expected to serve more as a symbolic gesture than a binding directive.

Under the 1973 War Powers Act, such resolutions do not require presidential approval and are not sent to the White House. Still, the administration has argued the measure is unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable.

Legal scholars note that the constitutional validity of the resolution remains disputed and could ultimately be decided by the courts.

“The executive branch is likely to disregard the resolution based on constitutional objections, and it’s unclear who would have the legal standing to challenge it in court,” said Scott Anderson, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and senior editor of the legal blog Lawfare.

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Original Article: US Senate votes to halt Iran war in rebuke to Trump