News24 | US House votes to block Trump from continuing Iran war despite Republican majority

The Republican-led US House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to block US President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran, reflecting growing concern among members of his party about the three-month-old conflict.

The House voted 215 to 208, as four Republicans voted with Democrats in ‌favour of the war powers resolution, which directs Trump to withdraw US troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorises the use of military force.

It was the latest setback for Trump in Congress despite his party’s slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

For now, the vote is largely symbolic, as legislation must pass the Senate as well as the House to become effective, and there is debate over whether war powers resolutions would be constitutional even if they are approved by Congress.

The vote, nonetheless, reflects unease among some Republicans over Trump’s handling of the conflict and marks a rare bipartisan effort to curb presidential war powers as the war has entered ⁠a fourth month.

READ | US Senate eventually passes war-powers resolution in rare Trump rebuke over Iran conflict

Three previous war powers resolutions had failed in the House by increasingly slim margins and the chamber’s Republican leaders abruptly postponed a vote on this one in May when it looked likely to pass.

The Senate advanced a separate, but similar resolution last month in a procedural vote, after seven previous attempts had failed.

🚫CLAIM: Iran claimed today that it did not attack the passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport and damage was instead caused by a U.S. missile interceptor. Totally FALSE.✅TRUTH: Iran struck the civilian airport with drones in a deliberate, calculated, and… pic.twitter.com/OVrzeDibQl

Further votes on the Senate measure have not yet been scheduled.

The four House Republicans who voted for the war powers resolution were Representatives Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

No Democrats voted against it. Seven House members did not vote.

Trump has recently faced some opposition from members of his party in Congress, after months in which very few Republicans pushed back against his policy initiatives.

Congress has the exclusive authority under the Constitution to declare war and authorize the use of force. The War Powers Act of 1973 delegates some of that authority to the president for a limited period of time.That authority has expired, and my support of this resolution…

Separately on Wednesday, the House approved a proce