‘Going it alone does not work’: America’s first one-party war

President Donald Trump's war in Iran has become a uniquely partisan conflict, marking the first time in modern U.S. history that one party is fully rejecting wartime funding requests from the commander-in-chief. Democrats in Congress have adopted an unequivocal stance, refusing to support additional funding and voting to demand Trump withdraw troops.

This opposition represents a seismic political shift. Historically, Democrats have often supported wartime funding, even when facing accusations of not backing the troops. However, lawmakers now contend that public opinion, including among Republican voters, is on their side. Representative Pat Ryan of New York, a veteran, stated, "They absolutely own it [the war]. We've lost multiple additional soldiers. They've lied and covered up casualties. Like, what are you doing?"

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They absolutely own it. We’ve lost multiple additional soldiers. They’ve lied and covered up casualties. Like, what are you doing?

Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have criticized the Democrats' position as "shameful," attributing their refusal to fund the Pentagon to political opposition to the president. Johnson suggested Democrats believe they can gain a political advantage by opposing the war funding.

Democrats cite several reasons for their opposition. The party is generally more skeptical of foreign entanglements and less sympathetic to Israel, a key U.S. partner. More significantly, they are deeply suspicious of Trump's handling of the war, especially given its unpopularity from the outset. Led by military veterans within the party, Democrats are prepared to use their limited power in the minority to block funding requests until Trump and congressional Republicans present a clear plan to end the conflict. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries plans to highlight these veterans in the party's midterm messaging.

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Democrats don’t want to play along. Why? Because they have a problem with the president, and they think they’re going to get a political advantage over this.