Senate rejects bid to scale back Iran war

A similar measure is also expected to fail in the House, giving the president near carte blanche to proceed with the conflict.

Iraqi Shiite carry a replica of a coffin of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by a U.S. airstrike in Tehran, during a symbolic funeral, in Najaf, Iraq on March 4, 2026. | Anmar Khalil/AP

The Senate rejected an attempt to rein in the war in Iran, handing President Donald Trump what amounts to an endorsement of his five-day military campaign.

The 47-53 vote split largely along party lines, with Republican senators united to defeat a measure that would have required congressional approval to continue the operation.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a cosponsor, was the only Republican who supported the resolution. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke with his party in support of the strikes, which gave GOP leaders additional room to defeat it.

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