Senate Democrats block $1 trillion defense bill in protest over Iran war
[July 15, 2026]
By LISA MASCARO
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats blocked a $1 trillion annual defense
bill Tuesday, refusing to advance the bipartisan package that would
substantially increase Pentagon spending, including a pay raise for the
troops, in protest of President Donald Trump's war against Iran.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced his opposition and
other key Democrats said they could not support the annual bill, known
as the National Defense Authorization Act, as the war drags into a fifth
month with no clear endgame in sight. The tally was 50-46, failing
largely along party lines to reach the threshold needed.
“The NDAA cannot become a permission slip for that recklessness that we
see occurring in Iran,” Schumer, of New York, said ahead of voting.
“Donald Trump does not get to drag the American people deeper into a war
he cannot explain and does not know how to end—and then demand that
Congress look the other way.”
The Senate vote comes a day after the White House formally notified
Congress that it had resumed bombing strikes against Iran, effectively
undoing the fragile ceasefire in the U.S.-Israel led conflict that has
resulted in economic disruptions, including volatile gas prices ahead of
the midterm elections.
Congress has tried repeatedly to slap guardrails on the administration,
voting more than 10 times on various war powers resolutions that would
halt hostilities. But those efforts have not succeeded, and most
Republicans in the House and Senate majorities back Trump.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the defense package a good bill
and implored his colleagues to provide the resources to ensure the U.S.
is kept safe.
“We have an obligation here in Congress to ensure that they have
everything they need for whatever the mission may be,” he said.
After the bill failed to advance, Thune switched his vote in a
procedural move that will allow the leader to bring it back up for
consideration again later.
For decades, Congress had made sure to approve the annual defense bill
each year, setting the policy and direction for the department and
authorizing the funds that would later be allocated to carry out its
investments in systems, supplies and missions.
This year, the 66th annual NDAA is running into a double-whammy of
opposition. Lawmakers are fuming over Trump's military action against
Iran and resisting the White House request to substantially increase
Pentagon spending to $1.5 trillion, up from about $900 billion last
year.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens during a meeting with Iraq's
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the Pentagon Tuesday, July 14, 2026,
in Washington. (Al Drago/Pool via AP)
The sizable boost of funds aligns with the White House's 2027 budget
request as the Trump administration seeks a generational investment
to modernize the Defense Department, which it refers to as the
Department of War under Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth was scheduled to meet later Tuesday evening with House
Republicans as Congress considers providing additional money through
a separate budget reconciliation bill the party can pass on its own,
overpowering the opposition from Democrats.
The White House has requested $350 billion from Congress under the
budget reconciliation process, but House GOP leaders have indicated
it is likely to be a much smaller amount, more in line with $87
billion the White House requested last month as supplemental funding
for Iran.
But Republican deficit hawks are skeptical of the big budget
numbers, despite support for the war within their ranks.
The extra defense funding comes on top of the additional $150
billion Republicans already provided the Pentagon last year under
Trump’s big tax breaks bill that some say has not been spent or
fully accounted for.
At the same time, senators want to impose restraints on Hegseth if
he fails to comply with their demands for more information about
department procedures and accounts.
The Senate bill would block the secretary's travel funds unless he
provides reports they have requested, including on a deadly Iran
school strike at the start of the war.
Democrats, however, are pushing for further limits in line with a
war powers resolution that would force the cessation of military
actions.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran who flew helicopter combat
missions in Iraq, said she would oppose the bill unless it included
her amendment to end the war.
“Simply throwing more money at an out-of-control military operation
is not strategy. It’s a recipe for a forever war.”
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