Trump’s Fury Over Iran Failings Just Got Worse. Take Note, Dems.

As of now, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is the only one of the body’s 45 Democrats (and the two independents who caucus with them) to explicitly declare opposition. “I would never want to restrict any future president, Republican or Democrat, to do this kind of military exercise,” Fetterman said Thursday.

Fetterman also insisted he wants to “reserve the right” for future presidents to do the “kinds of things” that President Barack Obama has done in the past or that “Trump did with Iran,” which Fetterman supported.

Still, according to a source familiar with the situation, Fetterman is against the measure but does not want to be the deciding vote that kills it. So his vote may still be up in the air.

The Kaine resolution would prohibit use of the armed forces for “hostilities” against Iran unless “explicitly authorized” by Congress, pursuant to the idea that under the Constitution, Congress “has the sole power to declare war.” Though Congress already passed a measure requiring congressional authorization for military hostilities—the War Powers Resolution of 1973—presidents of both parties have unilaterally launched various strikes and limited operations, culminating in Trump’s bombing of Iran.

A small handful of the Senate’s 53 Republicans—ones who voted for a similar resolution in 2020—are possibly in play. That includes senators such as Rand Paul and Todd Young, who haven’t revealed their intentions. While it remains likely most or all of those few will punt, if even a tiny few vote “yes,” the result could turn on whether every last Democrat supports it.

An explicit prohibition against further warmaking by Trump is badly needed right now.  It’s sometimes said that this debate is moot because Trump has already undertaken his bombing and Iran and Israel have reached a fragile ceasefire. But Trump’s conduct over the last couple of weeks has only underscored the need for Congress to get far more involved than thus far.