Donald Trump was slapped down by his own party Wednesday. The Republican-led House voted to pull U.S. forces from Iran, with four GOP members joining Democrats in a 215-208 bipartisan vote that exposed deep cracks in presidential support.
The war powers resolution is largely symbolic—Trump will almost certainly veto it if it clears the Senate—but it amounts to public humiliation. After four months of military campaign, the Iran conflict has become unpopular, and Congress is openly questioning whether the president's strategy works.
House Democrats made their position clear. "We successfully passed our War Powers Resolution today to stand up for the American people and hold Donald Trump accountable," said Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar in a statement. The message: Senate Republicans should follow suit.
The timing is difficult for Trump. Americans are angry about the economic fallout. Gas prices have soared, inflation hit a three-year high, and the Pentagon has already spent $29 billion on a war with objectives that remain "confusing and nebulous," according to a senior Pentagon official cited in May.
Polls show the damage. A CNN survey found 70 percent of Americans think Trump is tanking the economy, while 65 percent say his policies have worsened conditions. The Iran war is deeply unpopular—even among Republicans in Congress.
The vote revealed a rare break in GOP unity on foreign policy. With the 2026 midterms approaching and inflation squeezing voters' wallets, Trump's military operation looks indefensible, even to party members expected to support him.
