4 Republicans Side With Democrats, Stand Up Against Trump's Iran War

At present, the Republicans have narrow leads in both chambers; they lead 217-212 in the House and 53-45 in the Senate. Two independent senators usually back the Democrats.

20 May 2026, 02:12 · NDTV

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Four Republicans voted with Democrats to limit Trump's powers under the War Powers Act
The Senate passed the resolution 50-47, with three Republicans absent from the vote
The war in the Gulf has lasted 81 days, causing over 10,000 deaths and major infrastructure damage

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New Delhi:

Four Republicans defied Donald Trump Tuesday to vote with the Democrats and ensure the Senate took a step closer to ending the Iran war by shackling his authority under the War Powers Act.

The resolution passed 50-47, with three other Republicans missing the vote.

Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana voted against Trump, though Democrat Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against the measure.

The cross-voting has been seen as a rare public rebuke of the president, who has largely been backed by his party and voter base over a war that has dragged on for 81 days with no clear off-ramp.

Fighting that began Feb. 28 has killed over 10,000 people across the Gulf so far and caused billions of dollars in damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, as well as a complete shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil shipping channel. It has also cost the US a reported $29 billion - the Pentagon's last estimate - and fractured relations with allies.

Tuesday's Senate vote does not mean Trump has been forced to withdraw US military forces from the conflict, but it is a victory for lawmakers arguing the president has overstepped his bounds.

Specifically, the Democrats have pointed to the War Powers Act - legislation that says a US president cannot deploy forces for more than 60 days at a time without approval.

According to the Democrats and critics of Trump's war, that deadline passed May 1. However, the White House has insisted the War Powers clock stopped April 8 when the ceasefire was announced, giving Trump at least 40 more days of unilateral force deployment against Iran.

But the US Navy remains deployed on a blockade of Iranian ships in the Hormuz.

For the War Powers Act to be enforced, the Democrats need the main resolution to pass the 100-member Senate and the House of Representatives with a two-thirds majority in each chamber.

But that is unlikely at this stage becase, at present, the Republicans have narrow leads in both chambers; they lead 217-212 in the House and 53-45 in the Senate. Two independent senators usually back the Democrats.

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Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the war continued this week with the exchange of fresh proposals.

Iran submitted a 14-point plan that included demands for reparations, easing sanctions on its crude oil exports, and recognition of its authority over the Hormuz.

Washington's counterproposal demanded stricter curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme, including the surrender of most of a rumoured 440-kg stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium.

The ceasefire has largely held since it was announced, though each side has grumbled and complained about the other's violations and alleged bad-faith actions. On Monday, Trump claimed he cancelled planned strikes at the request of Gulf allies who assured him "serious negotiations are now taking place". In a Truth Social post, he said the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain had offered those assurances. But he also posted in capital letters: "NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!"

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