House Democrats are gaining momentum in their push to rein in President Donald Trump’s war powers in light of the commander in chief’s threats to annihilate Iran’s entire civilization.
Two vulnerable House Democrats, who have opposed prior efforts to tie Trump’s hands in waging the war, tell the Washington Examiner they will now support doing so when Congress reconvenes next week.
“I previously supported a 30-day window for operational realities and to allow the administration to define long-term objectives and a clear exit strategy,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX). “That window has passed. Those answers remain insufficient. I will support a war powers resolution if it comes to the floor.”
Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) also confirmed to the Washington Examiner that he will do the same. In a post on X, Landsman linked his decision to Trump’s comments threatening to destroy Iran’s electrical grid and other key infrastructure if Tehran did not strike a deal.
“Trump is unhinged and this insane rhetoric is undermining and creating panic,” said Landsman. “STFU and end it.”
Cuellar and Landsman face tough reelection battles this fall. Both helped Trump skirt an initial war powers rebuke in the House last month. The duo joined Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME), Juan Vargas (D-CA), and 215 Republicans in sinking a war powers resolution that would have terminated the war in Iran immediately.
Given the narrow majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could only lose one Republican on the vote if all Democrats struck together. Johnson lost two, with Reps. Warren Davidison (R-OH) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) voting in favor, but was bailed out by Democrats.
Even if the resolution passed, it likely wouldn’t have gotten the 60 votes necessary in the Senate, where similar efforts have repeatedly failed. Regardless, Trump could still veto it from becoming law even if it did pass Congress.
Yet, despite the long odds, Democratic leadership in the House and Senate is planning to force another vote on condemning the war next week when lawmakers return to Washington from the Easter recess. The resolutions seek to put Congress on record condemning the conflict and tie the president’s hands from launching further strikes.
“Congress must reassert its authority, especially at this dangerous moment,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said during a Wednesday press conference in New York City. “No president, Democrat or Republican, should take this country to war alone. Not now, not ever.”
Democrats are pushing forward with the resolutions even as Trump has struck a two-week ceasefire with Iran and negotiations between the United States and Tehran are ongoing.
“A two-week ceasefire is insufficient,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday. “We need a permanent end to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice, which is why House Democrats have demanded that Speaker Mike Johnson immediately reconvene the House back into session so we can move a war powers resolution that will end this conflict permanently“.
Forcing a vote comes after nearly 80 Democrats in the House and Senate called on the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office over his initial threats to escalate the war by targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure.
OVER 30 DEMOCRATS WANT TRUMP REMOVED USING 25TH AMENDMENT OVER IRAN WAR
Democrats said if the threat was carried out, it would have amounted to a “war crime” that would punish the people of Iran for the actions of its government.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Massie, Vargas, and Golden’s offices for comment.