The Senate has approved a resolution directing President Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities in Iran, as negotiations for a permanent settlement continue. This decision, made on Tuesday with a 50-48 vote, follows a House vote a day prior that passed 215-208. The resolution stipulates that troops must be withdrawn unless Congress authorizes further military action under the War Powers Act of 1973.
Since the resolution is classified as a “concurrent resolution,” it bypasses the president’s desk, leading to debates about its legal status. Even though both chambers of Congress agreed, it lacks enforceability.
The Senate’s approval comes as officials maintain that military actions against Iran were considered concluded after the ceasefire agreement struck by Trump on April 7.
Four Republican senators—Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy—supported the resolution. Interestingly, last week, these same senators had backed a similar resolution from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but it faced delays due to Democratic opposition.
Notably absent from the vote were Senators Dave McCormick and Mitch McConnell, both of whom have a history of voting against significant Iranian resolutions. On the other hand, Senator Thom Tillis voted against the resolution, expressing a desire to consider both sides of the argument, while John Fetterman was the only Democrat to join Republicans in opposition.
The resolution’s narrow passage in the House on June 4 drew strong criticism from President Trump, who called it “meaningless.” He remarked on Truth Social about the unpatriotic nature of the vote, pointing out the ongoing negotiations with Iran at the time.
