Despite President Donald Trump’s best efforts to keep Congressional Republicans in line, some of them broke with his administration in a major way this week. On Thursday, the Senate delivered a bipartisan approval of a resolution to curb Trump’s war powers, which was developed after Trump rushed into conflict with Iran via the abruptly ordered assassination of their top General Qassem Soleimani. A full eight Republican Senators voted in favor of the war powers restriction resolution, including some high-profile names like Maine’s Susan Collins, Kentucky’s Rand Paul, and others.
The resolution is distinct from the similar measure that the House recently passed. Unlike that measure, the Senate’s now approved “joint resolution” would be slated to go to Trump for a signature in the event that it’s approved by both houses of Congress.
It is very important for our Country’s SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution. We are doing very well with Iran and this is not the time to show weakness. Americans overwhelmingly support our attack on terrorist Soleimani….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2020
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) commented, discussing the now pair of approved resolutions:
‘It sends a shot across his bow that the majority of the Senate and the majority of the House do not want the president waging war without congressional approval.’
The White House has already threatened a presidential veto of any version of the resolution that might come across Trump’s desk, and Trump himself lashed out against the Senate resolution just this week. On Twitter, he claimed that “it is very important for our Country’s SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution,” adding that an approval would supposedly “show weakness.” A handful of Senate Republicans apparently did not care.
