US Senate blocks Iran war powers resolution after Trump pressure

The US Senate narrowly blocked a resolution that would have directed President Trump to withdraw American forces from hostilities in Iran, abruptly reversing its stance late Wednesday.

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The American people need to know more than we are being told. It does not appear, although I don’t know for sure, that the course of this is going the way that we were told.

The procedural vote, which ended 50-47, came after hours of intense pressure from the White House. This intervention prompted two Republican senators, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky, to alter their previous positions supporting checks on executive war powers. Cassidy voted no, while Paul voted "present."

The turnaround followed a contentious closed-door lunch meeting on Capitol Hill. Reports from attendees, including Senator John Kennedy, described President Trump as being "mad as a murder hornet." During the heated exchange, Trump reportedly engaged in a shouting match with Senator Cassidy, who had questioned the administration's framework deal with Iran, citing concerns about financial incentives and unmet goals.

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Trump “was mad as a murder hornet.”

Cassidy stated that the American people deserved more information and expressed doubt that the conflict was proceeding as initially presented. He later thanked the White House for a briefing that addressed his concerns, leading to his change in vote. This vote does not affect a separate, largely symbolic resolution passed by the House and then the Senate on Tuesday, which called for an end to the war. Trump had dismissed the earlier resolution as "meaningless" but praised Wednesday's outcome, stating it "puts Iran on notice."

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This vote puts Iran on notice!