WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House voted Thursday to reject a resolution ordering President Donald Trump to end the war in Iran.
The vote was 213 to 214, almost entirely along party lines, with Republicans mostly remaining loyal to Trump, refusing to put safeguards on his military campaign.
Only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted for it, while one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against it. Rep. Warren Davidson, Republican of Ohio, who previously voted to end the war in Iran, voted “present.” Three Republicans did not vote.
THE measureproposed by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., “directs the President to withdraw United States armed forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” with exceptions for extreme cases under the War Powers Resolution, “unless explicitly authorized” by Congress.
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“Donald Trump has drawn the American people into a war of choice, launched without authorization from Congress. The president has no coherent strategy, and this open-ended, indefinite military engagement is precisely what the War Powers Resolution was intended to restrict,” Meeks said before the vote. “Every day we delay, we move closer to a conflict with no exit ramp. »
In recent days, Trump has found himself embroiled in a public dispute with Pope Leo XIV following the pope’s criticism of the war in Iran. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sided with Trump in that clash.
“A pontiff or any religious leader can say whatever they want, but obviously if you wade into political waters, I think you have to expect a political response,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. “And I think the Pope got some of that.”
“The stakes are so high in the situation we face,” Johnson said, calling Iran “the biggest sponsor of terrorism.”
On March 5, just days after the U.S.-Israeli strikes that started the war, the House failed to advance a measure to end it by a vote of 212-219.
The vote comes as recent national polls show the public does not support the war.
A recent CBS News Poll found that 60% of Americans disapprove of U.S. military action in Iran. The survey found that 64% disapprove of how Trump handled the situation, while 62% believe Trump does not have a clear plan.
There are also economic consequences. Gas prices have risen since the start of the war, and so have the costs of diesel and fertilizer. fueled fears of political fallout among Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. These factors could also influence Republican Party votes on future war powers measures.
The House vote Thursday came a day after the The Senate voted 52-47 to reject a similar measurewith almost all Republicans voting to allow Trump to continue his military campaign in Iran without restrictions, and all but one Democrat voting to end it.