WASHINGTON, United States — The Senate voted on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, to direct President Donald Trump to remove United States military forces from the conflict with Iran, delivering a rare congressional rebuke over his handling of the war.
The measure was adopted 50 to 48, with four Republican senators — Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy — joining Democrats in support. Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it.
The vote came after Democrats repeatedly pushed measures in both chambers aimed at curbing Trump’s war powers.
The effort has gained some Republican support in recent weeks, even as Trump has sharply criticised members of his party who have backed it.
Two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick, were absent. Both had previously voted against advancing war powers resolutions.
Trump condemned the Senate vote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday night, calling it “poorly timed and meaningless.”
He said the Senate, by adopting the resolution, “has provided aid and comfort [to] the Enemy.”
“Four Republican Losers voted with the Dumocrats, and Iran asked my people, ‘what does that all mean?’
These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other,” Trump said.
White House Dismisses Measure
The resolution had already passed the House earlier this month.
But because it is a concurrent resolution, it does not require the president’s signature and does not carry the force of law.
A White House official said the Senate action “has no significance” and attributed its passage to “Republican absences.”
“Concurrent resolutions do not go to the president and have no force of law,” the official said.
The official said the measure directed the president to remove American forces from hostilities against Iran, but added that “there are no hostilities from which to remove U.S. forces, as hostilities terminated with the ceasefire on April 7th.”
A House Democratic aide involved in the effort to pass the resolution told CNN earlier this month that Democrats believe the measure would be binding, though the aide said that question would have to be resolved as a legal matter.
The House approved the measure 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats.
Trump later criticised those Republicans on Truth Social, calling them “GRANDSTANDERS” and describing their action as “unpatriotic.”
Democrats Press War Powers Argument
The Senate vote was the 10th time this year that the chamber has considered an Iran war powers measure.
An earlier Senate-led resolution advanced last month, but has not yet received a follow-up vote as Democrats seek to ensure they have enough support to pass it.
Some Democrats have argued that Congress should act even after the United States reached an agreement with Iran and as negotiations with Tehran continue.
Senator Tim Kaine said last week that a vote remained necessary to prevent renewed hostilities without congressional approval.
“I think it’s a good time to have the vote to say, ‘Hey, if we’re really in a period of maybe some stability here, let’s not just allow it to start up again without Congress being involved in that decision,” he told reporters.
