Will Iran War End Soon? US Senate Advances Resolution To Curb Trump's War Powers As Republicans Join Democrats

Four Republican senators defied President Donald Trump on Tuesday by voting with Democrats to advance a resolution aimed at limiting his war powers in Iran. The resolution passed by a 50-47 margin, with three other Republicans missing the vote.

Who Were The 4 Republicans?

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

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The cross-voting is a rare rebuke of the president, who has otherwise received strong support from his party and voter base during a war that has dragged on for 81 days without a clear off-ramp.

The Cost Of The War

The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran began on February 28 and has claimed over 10,000 lives across the Gulf region so far. It has inflicted billions of dollars in damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, while also causing a complete shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil shipping channel.

According to the Pentagon's last estimates, the war has already cost the United States an estimated $29 billion, while severely fracturing relations with allies.

Can It Force Trump To Withdraw Forces From Conflict?

While Tuesday's Senate vote does not force Trump to withdraw military forces from the conflict, it marks a victory for lawmakers arguing the president has overstepped bounds.

Democrats point to the War Powers Act, which states that a US President cannot deploy forces for more than 60 days without congressional approval, a deadline they say passed on May 1.

However, the White House insisted that the War Powers clock stopped on April 8 when a ceasefire was announced, giving Trump at least 40 more days of unilateral deployment against Iran.

For the War Powers Act to be enforced, Democrats need the resolution to pass the 100-member Senate and the House of Representatives with a two-thirds majority in each chamber. This is unlikely as Republicans hold a narrow majority in both chambers, leading 217-212 in the House and 53-45 in the Senate. Two independent senators usually vote with the Democrats.

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Trump Warns Iran Of Fresh Strikes If Peace Talks Fail

Trump on Wednesday stated that diplomatic efforts were ongoing to end the conflict with Iran. In his briefing, Trump claimed that Tehran was eager for a peace deal, adding that the US would launch fresh attacks if the peace talks fail.