US Senate backs Donald Trump’s Iran campaign

The U.S. Senate has voted to uphold President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, rejecting a Democratic-led effort to halt the conflict pending congressional authorisation.

In a 52–47 vote on April 15, senators declined to advance a war powers resolution that sought to block further military action unless explicitly approved by Congress. The outcome highlights continued Republican backing for the president’s war policy more than six weeks after the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian targets, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Speaking in an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump said the conflict was nearing its conclusion. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation remain ongoing. On the same day as the vote, Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran in an attempt to revive stalled negotiations after weekend talks ended without agreement.

The latest vote marks the fourth attempt by Democrats to invoke the War Powers Resolution since the conflict began, with each effort failing amid unified Republican opposition—except for Senator Rand Paul, who again broke ranks to support the measure. Known for his libertarian stance and strict interpretation of constitutional limits on executive power, Paul was the only Republican to vote in favor.

Among Democrats, Senator John Fetterman was the sole member of his party to oppose the resolution, while Republican Senator Jim Justice did not participate in the vote.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the authority to declare war rests with Congress. However, successive administrations from both parties have argued that presidents may initiate limited military operations without prior authorization, particularly in response to immediate threats.

By Sabina Mammadli