Republicans call off vote on Iran war resolution that was on the verge
of passing
[May 22, 2026]
By STEPHEN GROVES
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans struggled Thursday to find the votes to
dismiss legislation that would compel President Donald Trump to withdraw
from the war with Iran, delaying planned votes on the matter into June.
The House had scheduled a vote on a war powers resolution, brought by
Democrats, that would rein in Trump's military campaign. But as it
became clear that Republicans would not have the numbers to defeat the
bill, GOP leaders declined to hold a vote on it. It was the latest sign
of the slipping support in Congress for a war that Trump launched more
than two months ago without congressional approval.
“We had the votes without question and they knew it, and as a result
they’re playing a political game,” said Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks,
who sponsored the bill.
Republicans in the Senate are also working to ensure they have the votes
to dismiss another war powers resolution that advanced to a final vote
earlier this week, when four GOP senators supported the resolution and
three others were absent from the vote.
The actions by congressional leaders showed Republicans are struggling
to maintain political backing for Trump's handling of the war.
Rank-and-file Republicans are increasingly willing to defy the president
over the conflict.
House Republican Leader Steve Scalise told reporters that the vote was
delayed to give lawmakers who were absent a chance to vote. House
Speaker Mike Johnson did not answer questions from reporters as he
exited the House chamber.
Frustration with Iran war grows on Capitol Hill
On Capitol Hill, patience with the war has worn thin as the stalemate in
the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global shipping and elevates gas prices in
the U.S. Another House war powers resolution nearly passed last week,
falling on a tie vote as three Republicans voted in favor.
Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he
had the votes “locked in” this time around.
“People are beginning to finally listen to the American people who don’t
support the war in Iran, and I think there’s a growing number of
Republicans who see how devastating the war has been for our country,”
said Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state.
The lone Democrat who voted against the war powers resolution last week,
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, has said he will vote in favor of the
legislation next time.
In a joint statement, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and other
caucus leaders said Republicans were “cowardly” to pull the vote.
“Even as we prepare to recognize our nation’s fallen heroes on Memorial
Day, House Republicans refuse to show up and be accountable to the brave
service members that have been recklessly put in harm’s way,” they
added.
Republicans have been broadly supportive of Trump's efforts to destroy
Iran's nuclear capabilities, but some are now saying the president's
legal timeline to wage a war without congressional approval has expired.
Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, presidents have 60 days to
engage in a military conflict before Congress must either declare war or
authorize the use of military force.
“We're past 60 days so it's got to be brought to us to vote on. We're
following the law,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania
Republican, adding that he plans to vote for the war powers resolution.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., center, speaks as
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, Vice Chair Rep.
Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., right, listen during a news conference,
Thursday, May 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam
Zuhaib)
The dispute over war powers
The White House argues that the requirements of the War Powers
Resolution no longer apply because of the ceasefire with Iran. At
the same time, Trump has said he was just an hour away from ordering
another strike on Iran earlier this week, but held off because Gulf
allies said they were engaged in negotiations to end the war.
Still, Trump said on social media that military leaders should “be
prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on
a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not
reached.” Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then
backed off.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who has so far voted against the war
powers resolutions, expressed frustration with the Trump
administration's stance, especially from Defense Secretary Pete
Hegseth.
“The current status quo, Pete Hegseth demonstrates how incompetent
he is,” Tillis told reporters, adding that he would be willing to
vote for an authorization for use of military force.
Earlier this week, Democratic senators rallied outside the Capitol
Wednesday alongside VoteVets, a left-leaning veterans’ advocacy
group. They placed signs on the Capitol lawn noting that the
nationwide average price of gasoline had risen to $4.53.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who served in the Iraq
War with the Air National Guard, argued that the Iran war has
amounted to a strategic blunder for Trump.
“Trump started a war, and he’s made things worse than before,”
Duckworth said, pointing to Iran's new leadership and the country's
willingness to put a chokehold on commercial shipping through the
Strait of Hormuz.
Republican leaders praised Trump for taking what they said was bold
action to directly confront Iran, a nation that has been a U.S.
adversary for decades.
“I’m an American. I don’t believe in getting hit and walking away
and pretending as though it didn’t happen,” said Rep. Brian Mast,
the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
For Congress, the growing momentum to pass a war powers resolution
could eventually lead to a legal showdown over who has the final
authority over military conflicts.
The legislation before the House is a concurrent resolution that
lawmakers said would take effect without Trump's signature if it
passed both chambers of Congress.
But Trump has also argued that the 1973 law — passed by Congress
during the Vietnam War era in an attempt to take back its power over
foreign conflicts — is unconstitutional.
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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Lisa Mascaro and Joey
Cappelletti contributed to this report.
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