US Congress votes to halt Iran war and curb Trump’s war powers

The US House of Representatives has voted to force President Donald Trump to end American military involvement in the Iran war unless Congress formally authorises it, delivering the most serious legislative challenge so far to the White House’s conduct of the conflict.

The resolution passed by 215 votes to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats. It directs the withdrawal of US forces from hostilities involving Iran unless lawmakers approve continued military action. Earlier efforts to rein in the administration had failed, including a previous House vote that ended in a 212 to 212 tie.

The result matters because it came in a Republican controlled House. The four Republicans who broke with Trump were reported by the New York Post as Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson. Their support allowed Democrats to pass a measure rooted in the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which was designed to limit the president’s ability to keep US forces in sustained hostilities without congressional approval.

Supporters of the measure say the administration has exceeded its authority by continuing military operations against Iran without a formal vote in Congress. The White House argues that the campaign is necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and to protect American interests and allies in the region.

The vote does not automatically end the war. The resolution still faces an uncertain path in the Senate, and Trump could veto any measure that reaches his desk. Even if Congress advances the effort, the administration may dispute how far lawmakers can go in forcing a change in military policy.

But the House vote changes the political landscape. Until now, opposition to the Iran campaign could be dismissed by the White House as largely partisan. The passage of the resolution shows that concern has crossed, even narrowly, into Republican ranks.

The timing is sensitive. The war has unsettled oil markets, raised fears over shipping routes in the Gulf and complicated US diplomacy across the Middle East. A ceasefire track between Israel and Lebanon has offered some relief, but it has not resolved the wider confrontation with Iran.

The next test is whether the Senate follows the House, and whether Congress is prepared to move beyond protest toward a binding constraint on presidential war powers.