House defies Trump admin and approves war powers resolution to halt military action against Iran

The House approved a war powers resolution Wednesday that would halt the U.S.military action against Iran, defying President Donald Trump as a handful of Republicans joined with Democrats to end the three-month-long war that has reordered politics at home and abroad.House Speaker Mike Johnson had tried to prevent an outcome that would show the mounting opposition to the war, abruptly shutting down floor action two weeks ago when the war powers resolution was on the verge of approval.

But displeasure has only grown as the conflict drags on and as Trump struggles to negotiate a quick resolution.The roll call Wednesday was 215-208, and cheers erupted in the House chamber.“This reckless and costly war of choice needs to end today,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said earlier in the week.“All we need are a handful of Republicans to join us and we can end this reckless and costly war of choice — a war that has cost the American taxpayer over $100 billion — that’s extraordinary — and left our country in a weaker position relative to Iran.”It’s the fourth time the House has tried to curb the U.S.war against Iran, and the first time the House was able to pass the measure.

The Senate advanced its own war powers resolution last month when a handful of GOP senators broke ranks with the Republican president in a rare show of political pushback from his party.Each time Democrats have pushed forward the war powers resolution, the vote tallies have inched higher as political unease with the U.S.war swells.

Trump had campaigned for the White House on a promise to end U.S.entanglements abroad and focus more on domestic issues, but the war has shifted attention back to the Middle East.Johnson insisted Trump is “laser focused” on the domestic front, particularly ahead of the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.The speaker said he spent three hours at the White House with the president this week as Trump is calling on ...