The House of Representatives voted 215-208 to end U.S. involvement in the Iran war.
The June 3 vote was largely symbolic, marking a new period of Congressional anxiety over the Middle East conflict as peace talks stall. Strikes in the region have continued in recent days, despite the White House’s assurances to lawmakers that hostilities have ended.
Four Republicans joined together to support a Democratic resolution that would reaffirm the Legislature’s war powers and block further military action. The defectors were Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
Massey, a member of the same party but known as a political opponent of President Trump, wrote online: “The House of People is sending a message: Stop this war.”
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The president wasted no time bashing Massey and three other Republicans, calling them “bad Republicans” in a social media post the morning after the vote.
“Who would do such an unpatriotic thing?” he wrote. “They know the current state of negotiations.”
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One Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against it but supported the bill.
After the Senate introduced a similar bill two weeks ago, seven House members (six Republicans and one Democrat) did not vote.
“Today, House Democrats, on behalf of the American people, successfully passed the War Powers Resolution to hold Donald Trump accountable,” top House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said in a statement. “It’s time for Senate Republicans to do the right thing.”
Earlier in the day, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson continued to support the president’s Iran military campaign despite misgivings within his own party.
“We are trying to prevent the largest sponsor of state terrorism from acquiring nuclear weapons,” the president said. “The commander-in-chief’s first responsibility is to keep the country safe. He has done that. He has proven that every day.”
