Senate shoots down Iran war powers measure; Fetterman, Paul cross aisle

The Senate rejected a war powers resolution Tuesday night by a 47-53 vote, with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) leading the effort to require congressional approval before President Trump could use military force against Iran in coordination with Israel. The measure failed almost entirely along party lines, though Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) broke ranks as the lone Republican supporter, joining Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in crossing the aisle on the vote. The resolution's defeat leaves Trump with broad authority to conduct military operations against Iran without seeking explicit congressional authorization, a power presidents have increasingly exercised in recent decades. Murphy's bill reflected Democratic concerns about unchecked executive war-making, while most Republicans backed Trump's foreign policy prerogatives in the Middle East. The vote underscores the narrow Democratic majority's inability to constrain the White House on military action—a longstanding struggle for the opposition party.