Senate rejects Iran war powers curb after Trump clash

Thursday, June 25, 2026Confirmed

Politics Desk

What we know

The Senate late Wednesday rejected a procedural move to advance Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine’s war powers resolution directing the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress authorized them — a day after a separate House-passed curb had narrowly cleared the chamber.

The reversal followed a closed-door lunch in which President Donald Trump berated Republican senators who had backed limits on his Iran authority. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who previously supported advancing war-powers language, changed course: Cassidy voted no and Paul voted present. The measure failed 47–50–1. Trump celebrated the outcome on social media; Kaine said Republicans had acted to appease a “temper tantrum” and argued an earlier Senate position still stood.

What's confirmed

Senate: Kaine Iran war powers motion failed 47–50–1 late Wednesday; Collins and Murkowski again yes; Fetterman again no among Democrats (AP/NBC/CBS/ABC/CNN).
Cassidy and Paul shifted from prior support after Trump lunch clash; Cassidy said he “lost my temper” over administration information gaps (AP/NBC).
Trump framed the flip as putting Iran “on notice”; White House had dismissed Tuesday’s earlier vote as insignificant (ABC/CBS).
Context: U.S.–Iran 60-day interim memorandum and Hormuz negotiations ongoing amid congressional unrest over the war’s cost (CBS/CNN).

What's still developing

Whether further congressional Iran votes return after the Senate recess.
Effect of the flip on Trump’s leverage in ceasefire and Hormuz talks with Tehran.

Sources

AP News — Senate Republicans reject war powers after Trump berates them link
NBC News — Senate Republicans reject war powers resolution after Trump-Cassidy clash link
CBS News — Senate rejects measure to restrict Trump's Iran war powers link
ABC News — In reversal, Senate votes to block war powers resolution link