House Republicans scrap vote to rein in Trump's war in Iran
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President Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House on May 12. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
House GOP leadership pulled a scheduled vote Thursday to rein in President Trump's military campaign in Iran after it became clear they did not have the votes to defeat it.
Why it matters: It would have been Congress' first successful rebuke of Trump's Iran war effort after multiple Democratic-led war powers attempts had failed.
- Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), the one Democrat who has consistently voted against Iran war powers resolutions, was planning to flip his vote to yes.
- Four Republicans, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Warren Davidson and Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) have voted in support of the measure previously.
- The vote is largely symbolic, as Trump can veto the measure.
Driving the news: GOP leaders plan to bring the measure back up when the chamber returns from its week-long Memorial Day recess.
- Leaders held open a measure to establish a women's museum for 45 minutes as they tried to whip against the war powers resolution.
- Democrats were infuriated at the move, with House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) getting shouted down by the presiding officer as he attempted to question the move.
- "We've gone from losing by one to tying last week to this chicken s*** retreat they did tonight," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios.
Between the lines: GOP absences would have allowed the measure to pass Thursday.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) can afford only a handful of defections on party-line votes when the House is at full attendance.
Catch up quick: Previous efforts to constrain Trump's war powers on Iran repeatedly fell short.
- The House was expected to vote on the resolution Wednesday, but GOP leaders delayed the measure amid attendance concerns within their conference.
- Democrats' most recent attempt failed last week in a stunning 212-212 tie vote.
- Golden voted against that earlier resolution, while Massie, Fitzpatrick and Barrett supported it. Several lawmakers were absent.
Zoom in: Trump turned his fire on Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) on Wednesday, telling reporters: "He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn't work out well."
- Fitzpatrick told Axios on Wednesday that he still intended to vote for the measure despite the president's threats.
- "We don't report to any party or any person here in D.C.," he said.
The big picture: Republicans have largely backed Trump's military campaign, but unease within the GOP has grown as the conflict has dragged on without congressional authorization.
- Some Republicans have pointed to the War Powers Act's 60-day deadline, that has passed, requiring U.S. forces to withdraw absent congressional approval as a turning point.
- The White House argues that requirement no longer applies because of the ceasefire with Iran.
