The Senate delivered a historic rebuke to President Donald Trump's military adventurism Tuesday, approving for the first time a war powers resolution seeking to block U.S. military action against Iran, as lawmakers from both parties grow increasingly alarmed over a conflict that has cost American taxpayers an estimated $100 billion while families struggle with soaring gas prices and living costs.
The 50-48 vote marks a stunning reversal from previous attempts to rein in the administration's unilateral military action, reflecting deepening concerns among Republican lawmakers about both the war itself and the costly deal Trump negotiated to end it. The House had already approved the resolution earlier this month, underscoring broad congressional anxiety about an operation that the administration launched without congressional authorization and now expects Congress to fund.
Growing Republican Opposition
Four Republican senators broke ranks to support the resolution: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. The measure passed only because two Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was recently hospitalized, were absent from the vote. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., also missed the vote. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against the resolution.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, "Time after time, the vast majority of Senate Republicans sided with Trump and his war instead of the American people." Schumer added that Americans have paid the price for "Trump's historic blunder in Iran. It'll go down in the history books as one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made."
Staggering Price Tag for Taxpayers
The Pentagon is now seeking $80 billion from Congress mostly for the Iran war to backfill munitions and stockpiles, even as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny on Capitol Hill over the expenditure. The Defense Department initially estimated the war cost $11.3 billion during its first week alone, and senators said experts put the overall price tag of Operation Epic Fury at approximately $100 billion.
This funding request comes as part of a broader push by the Trump administration for $1.5 trillion in defense funding this year—a nearly 50% increase—including $350 billion in a so-called budget reconciliation package that House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leaders plan to pass without Democratic support.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday, "We should not spend another dime of taxpayer dollars on Operation Epic Failure."
Controversial Iran Deal Draws Fire
The vote comes as Trump prepares to meet with GOP senators Wednesday, following Vice President JD Vance's overseas negotiations with Iran to end its nuclear ambitions—which had been among the stated rationales for the war. Trump is reportedly displeased with Republicans who have criticized the deal he struck with Iran, according to one GOP senator granted anonymity to discuss the private dynamics.
The terms of the Iran deal are spelled out in a memorandum of understanding that Trump signed last week, starting a 60-day clock for the sides to reach a broader agreement over ending Iran's nuclear program. But Republicans have particularly objected to the $300 billion fund to help Iran rebuild, which is far greater than the $1.7 billion then-President Barack Obama refunded the country under his administration's 2015 Iran deal.
"I believe President Trump is getting very poor advice on Iran," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said last week on his podcast after the deal was made public.
Congressional Pushback Intensifies
Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democrat from Virginia who has led his party's efforts, said the pause in warfighting, as Trump's team works to shore up a fragile ceasefire, provides the perfect time for Congress to step back and assess "what should the next chapter be."
Over and again, Democrats have been forcing votes on the Iran war, almost since the U.S. and Israel launched missile strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Nearly each week they're in session, Senate Democrats have put forward war powers resolutions, but they have failed to amass the majority needed for passage in the narrowly split chamber, where Trump's Republican Party holds the majority.
While the resolution does not carry the full force of law and Trump would almost certainly veto any binding measure, its passage stands as a powerful, if symbolic, statement from Congress and a rebuke of the administration's military actions. The House pushed its own version to passage earlier this month, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in approving the war powers resolution, over the objections of Johnson and the GOP leadership.
Why This Matters:
This vote represents a critical assertion of congressional authority over military action and war funding at a moment when working families are struggling with high gas prices and costs of living. The estimated $100 billion price tag for Operation Epic Fury—and the Pentagon's request for $80 billion more—raises fundamental questions about national priorities when those resources could address domestic needs. The growing bipartisan concern over Trump's unilateral military action and the controversial $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran reflects deeper anxieties about accountability and oversight in foreign policy decision-making. As the administration seeks a massive 50% increase in defense spending while pushing through tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy, the resolution underscores the tension between unchecked military adventurism and the economic security of ordinary Americans who ultimately bear the costs of these decisions through their tax dollars and at the gas pump.