House Republican leadership pulled a scheduled vote Thursday on a war powers resolution to rein in President Trump’s military campaign in Iran, after it became clear they did not have enough support to stop it from passing. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), the lone Democrat who had consistently voted against such measures, planned to switch his vote to yes, breaking a tie that would have handed a symbolic defeat to the administration. GOP leaders held open a separate procedural vote for 45 minutes as they worked to whip against the resolution.
The canceled vote would have marked Congress’ first successful rebuke of Trump’s Iran war effort, after multiple Democratic-led attempts had failed in prior sessions. Four Republicans — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) and Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) — had previously backed similar measures, signaling rare cross-party dissent on the issue. The resolution is largely symbolic, as Trump can veto it even if passed.
GOP leaders plan to bring the war powers measure back up for a vote when the chamber returns from its week-long Memorial Day recess. The delay gives leadership time to marshal support against the resolution, though the margin remains razor-thin. Democrats were infuriated by the maneuver, with House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) getting shouted down by the presiding officer as he tried to question the move.
If eventually brought to a floor vote, the measure could expose fractures within the Republican conference and test Trump’s hold on his party. A successful resolution would be politically damaging but legally non-binding, lacking the force to override a presidential veto. The confrontation underscores escalating tensions between Congress and the executive branch over war powers.
One progressive aide called the cancellation “an admission of defeat” by GOP leaders who feared losing publicly. The coming vote remains uncertain, with both parties openly maneuvering ahead of the recess.