US Democrat seeks to curb Trump's war powers on Iran, Republicans divided

17/6/2025 6:25

A Democratic senator introduced legislation on Monday to prevent U.S. President Donald Trump from using military force against Iran without Congress's authorization, as an escalating battle between Israel and Iran raised fears of a broader conflict.



Tim Kaine of Virginia has tried for years to wrest back Congress's authority to declare war from the White House.



During Trump's first term, in 2020, Kaine introduced a similar resolution to rein in the Republican president's ability to wage war against Iran. That measure passed both the Senate and House of Representatives, with some Republican support, but did not garner enough votes to survive the president's veto.



Kaine said his latest war powers resolution underscores that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the sole power to declare war and requires that any hostility with Iran be explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for the use of military force.