The Senate approved a House-passed Iran war powers resolution Tuesday, giving congressional opponents of President Donald Trump’s Iran campaign their strongest symbolic win yet as new Reuters/Ipsos polling showed deep public skepticism about the war and the preliminary peace deal.
The Senate vote was 50-48, according to the Associated Press. Four Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, joined most Democrats in backing the measure. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted no.
CBS News reported that this is the first time an Iran war powers measure has made it through both chambers during the conflict. The resolution directs the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes force, but it is a concurrent resolution and does not carry the force of law.
The Vote Is Symbolic, But The Politics Are Real
The Senate result does not automatically stop U.S. military action against Iran. Because the measure is concurrent, it does not go to Trump for signature and cannot force a withdrawal by itself. That legal limit matters.
Politically, though, the vote gives critics a sharper marker. The House passed the measure earlier this month after previous failed attempts, and the Senate has now followed with enough Republican defections to show that frustration over the war is no longer limited to Democrats.
CBS said Tuesday’s vote was the tenth time Senate Democrats have forced an Iran war powers vote since the conflict began in late February. Earlier efforts either failed, advanced only procedurally, or stalled before reaching the same two-chamber milestone.
Public Support Has Dropped Hard
The vote landed the same day a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 24% of Americans think U.S. military action in Iran was worth its costs. Ipsos said 52% said it was not worth it, while 22% were unsure.
Reuters, in a report carried by Al-Monitor, said Trump’s approval rating fell to 34%, tying the lowest level of his second term. The same poll found that 63% of Americans think the preliminary U.S.-Iran agreement is unlikely to produce lasting peace, while just 18% think lasting peace is likely.
The poll was conducted June 18-22 among 1,262 U.S. adults. Ipsos listed a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points for the full sample.
Why This Matters For The Iran Deal
The vote and the poll both hit at a fragile moment for the U.S.-Iran deal. Washington and Tehran are still arguing over nuclear inspections, sanctions relief, Hormuz shipping guarantees, and how much control Iran will retain over postwar maritime traffic.
The Trump administration has framed the preliminary agreement as a path toward reopening energy lanes and ending the war. Critics are now pointing to the Senate vote and public polling as evidence that the political foundation for the war has weakened before the final deal is even complete.
The immediate military effect is limited. U.S. forces remain in the region, and the administration is not legally bound by Tuesday’s resolution. But Congress has now put both chambers on record against continuing hostilities without authorization, while polling shows most Americans doubt the war’s cost and the peace deal’s durability.
That combination is the new pressure point. Trump can still argue that the Iran campaign forced Tehran to negotiate. The harder question now is whether voters and enough Republicans in Congress believe the result was worth the price.