The US House voted on a measure that would end the war on Iran, defeating Trump

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives of the United States led by the House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday to prevent President Donald Trump from going ahead with the war with Iran, which shows the growing concern among members of his party about the conflict that has dragged on for three months.

The House voted 215 to 208, with four Republicans and Democrats voting in favor of the war powers resolution, ordering Mr. Trump to withdraw US troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force.

It was the latest act of backsliding by Mr. Trump in Congress despite his minority in the House and Senate.

For now, the vote is largely symbolic, as legislation must pass the Senate and the House to take effect, and there is debate over whether war-power decisions will be constitutional or approved by Congress.

The vote, however, reflects unease among some Republicans about Mr. Trump’s argument also marks a rare bipartisan effort to curb the power of a presidential war as the war enters its fourth month. Three previous war powers resolutions have failed in the House by narrow margins and Republican leaders postponed a vote last month when it appeared likely to pass.

The Senate advanced a different, but similar resolution last month by procedural vote, after seven previous attempts failed. Other votes on the Senate process have not been scheduled.

The four House Republicans who voted for the war power 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.

THE LATEST PUSH FOR TRUMP
Mr. Trump has recently faced some opposition from members of his own party in Congress, after months in which very few Republicans pushed back on his policy efforts.

Separately on Wednesday, the House approved a procedural motion that paves the way for a vote on the Ukraine Support Act, which would provide security assistance to Ukraine as it fights Russian aggression. This action only reached the bottom after the petition reached the threshold of 218 signatures last month in order to move forward.

Six Republicans and one independent did not vote and Republicans voted in favor of the Ukrainian measure.

The Republicans recently rebelled against Mr. Trump to set up a “weapons fund” to pay off political allies who say they have been harassed by the government.

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday also criticized the choice of Mr. Trump trusted Bill Pulte — a mortgage regulator with no national security experience — to serve as acting director of national intelligence.

SEPARATION OF POWERS
Democrats asked Mr. Trump to come to Congress for authorization to use the military in the conflict in Iran, noting that the US Constitution says that only the legislature, not the president, can declare war.

They warned that Mr Trump may have plunged the country into a long-term crisis without setting out a clear strategy and also criticized the high prices of fuel, food and other products since US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on February 28.

“The passage of this WPR today marks an important shift: many Republicans are listening to their fellow citizens who do not want another open war in the Middle East,” Representative Gregory Meeks, who sponsored the war power resolution and serves as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement after the vote.

Democrats have made affordability a central theme of their economic message ahead of the midterm elections in November that will decide whether Republicans can control Congress.

US producer prices posted their biggest increase in four years in April, boosted by rising costs of goods and services since the start of the war.

The Trump administration insists that the war on Iran is necessary for US national security, citing the urgent need to prevent the Islamic republic from developing a nuclear weapon.

Republican critics of the war power decisions call themselves political elites of Democrats who want to weaken the United States and score points against Mr. Reuters