President Trump’s Iran Policy Scores Senate Win Despite Opposition From These 4 Republicans

Democrats have been scheming since the first military strikes to stymie President Donald Trump’s military operation to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

But they were unable to advance one measure that would’ve forced an end to the hostilities even though a quartet of Senate Republicans crossed the aisle to vote along with the minority party.

As The Hill reported, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) took the opposite approach, reaching over to the GOP side to vote against the motion and securing a 47-46 victory for Trump’s policy:

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) voted for a motion, sponsored by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), to discharge the war powers resolution out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

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The motion to discharge failed 47 to 48 as centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted with Republicans to block it. Five senators missed the vote: Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The four Republicans had voted for a similar motion to discharge a war powers resolution sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) out of the Foreign Relations Committee last month. That motion passed 50-47.

Maverick Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) indicated before Tuesday’s vote that he was thinking about joining the four in voting yes.

Some noted the fact that the vote came as the US and Iran are looking ahead to formalizing an agreement to bring the hostilities to an end:

For the war that’s over?

— $andman (@Sandman3175) June 16, 2026

A little late…must be important

— Tommy (@TomTwr) June 16, 2026

All the problems this country is facing and this is how they are spending their time?

— JacksFan11 (@JacksFan11) June 16, 2026

Here’s what CBS News added:

The war powers resolution, led by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, would direct the president to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.”

Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Warnock appealed to his colleagues across the aisle: “After 109 days of a failed war, and now a fragile, temporary, but welcome truce, will my Republican colleagues choose today to finally stand up to this president?”

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GOP support for the war has begun to crack in recent weeks. For the first time last month, the Senate advanced a resolution to limit Mr. Trump’s war powers in Iran after seven failed attempts. Senators approved the motion to discharge the resolution from committee in a 50 to 47 vote, with the support of the same four Republicans who supported Warnock’s resolution on Tuesday. Three GOP members were absent at the time, tipping the scales in Democrats’ favor for the first time since the Iran conflict began.

Here’s some coverage of Vice President J.D. Vance’s remarks about the deal to bring the military operation to a close: