President Trump’s escalating threats against Iran and public flirtation with joining Israel’s bombing campaign against the country have reawakened a long-dormant debate on Capitol Hill about clawing back Congress’s power to declare war.
In the House, a Democrat and a Republican teamed up on Tuesday to introduce a resolution that would require congressional approval before U.S. troops could engage in offensive attacks against Iran. The measure by Representatives Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, and Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, underscored a view held by many in Congress that Mr. Trump should not be able to decide on his own whether the United States wades deeper into the conflict. Thirteen additional Democrats signed on to the resolution, but no Republicans so far were supporting the effort.
Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, on Monday introduced a similar resolution.
Both efforts face long odds on Capitol Hill given Republicans’ reluctance to challenge Mr. Trump’s power, but with some lawmakers in both parties openly resisting further U.S. involvement, they are likely to prompt a vibrant debate. The measures enjoy a special status that will compel Congress to vote on them one way or the other in the coming days.
Still, Speaker Mike Johnson has, so far, been successful in deflecting efforts to force Republican members to take any vote that would require them to challenge Mr. Trump’s authority, and he could seek a procedural solution that would allow him to circumvent a vote on a war declaration.
The move in the House quickly drew detractors, including Representative Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, who posted on social media that “If AOC and Massie are a yes, that’s a good bet that I’ll be a no.” He was referring to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who was among the Democrats backing the measure.
And in the Senate, defense hawks cheered Mr. Trump’s bellicose posture.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, on Tuesday reiterated his stance that he supports U.S. involvement in the conflict against Iran.
“Yeah, I want us to go all in to help Israel destroy their nuclear programs,” he said, adding that he had spoken to Mr. Trump Monday evening about his views.
When asked what role Congress should have in authorizing offensive strikes in Iran, Senator Bernie Moreno, Republican of Ohio, deferred to Mr. Trump.
“I have total faith and confidence in the president of the United States,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.
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