Support among Republicans for President Donald Trump’s conflict with Iran took a significant hit on Wednesday. Senate Democrats have been working for months to break the near-unified backing Republicans have given to Operation Epic Fury, which has been characterized as a war of attrition. Various war powers resolutions have been debated continuously since the hostilities began.
After two months of their campaign, the latest attempt by Senator Jeff Merkley from Oregon has managed to garner some Republican backing for Trump, though it fell short of bringing an end to operations in the Middle East.
Notably, Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have consistently voted to restrict Trump’s war powers and aligned with Democrats to conclude Operation Epic Fury. This development came after Congress enacted a 60-day deadline to reassess military actions in the area, just hours after Trump’s arrival in China.
Officials from the Trump administration, including Army Secretary Pete Hegseth, contended that the 60-day deadline holds little weight since combat has been suspended due to a ceasefire. However, Trump referred to the ceasefire as being on “life support” after rejecting Iran’s latest proposal.
Even with international engagements and tight deadlines looming, it remains uncertain how these factors influenced the Senate votes on Wednesday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) remarked that Trump’s visit to China could influence national security matters and emphasized the need for the party to unite and back the President. He added, “Everyone has their own perspectives on these issues. This isn’t a new vote; we’ve seen this before, so we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
Congress is poised to vote on an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which would either permit or terminate ongoing military actions in Iran. Some Republicans express that this measure could empower Trump with a significant legal basis to justify military engagement.
Murkowski previously suggested she would bring the AUMF to a vote unless there were indications of an advancing peace deal or further clarification on administration objectives. During a Tuesday hearing where Hegseth discussed Trump’s substantial budget request for the Pentagon, Murkowski questioned whether it would be advantageous for the President if combat resumed following Congressional authorization through the AUMF.
Hegseth responded, asserting that under Article II, the President possesses all the necessary authority to act. Senator Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, who has spearheaded the war powers initiative, cautioned that passing the AUMF would result in what he termed an “illegal and unwise war.” He expressed doubt that Republican members would be eager to hold such votes, implying they’re keen to evade accountability regarding the conflict.
