Signs of fatigue in the US Congress over Trump's war in Iran
More and more Republican lawmakers are showing themselves willing to force the president to stop a conflict that he started without legislative authorization.
WashingtonIt has taken almost three months since Donald Trump began the war in Iran for the United States Congress to show signs of life. On Tuesday, the Senate managed to approve for the first time a resolution to try to force the US president to end a conflict that the legislature never authorized. The milestone was possible due to the change of vote by four Republican senators, some of whom had already warned the tycoon that if the campaign exceeded 60 days, they would withdraw their support. This Thursday, a similar resolution is expected to also successfully pass the vote in the House of Representatives. Some congressmen who until now had sabotaged other attempts in the lower house have already indicated that on this occasion they will facilitate the processing of the resolution.change of direction by four Republican senatorsThe fragile ceasefire with Iran has led to a low-intensity conflict, but one that remains just as problematic for the global economy. The Strait of Hormuz continues to be completely blocked due to a lack of guarantees and security; a situation that is reproduced at the negotiating table. Diplomatic efforts by Pakistan and third countries are trying to bring Washington and Tehran closer, while the US president continues with the same coercive rhetoric as always. The problem, however, is that at the country's gas stations, the price of a gallon already exceeds 4.50 dollars on average, a figure unaffordable for many citizens and which, if not resolved before November, could cost many Republican congressmen their seats.
Furthermore, the cost of the operation already amounts to
as revealed by the Pentagon comptroller, Jay Hurst, during his first appearance before Congress since the military campaign began. Although the administration denies it, the new Defense budget foresees
to replenish a large part of the ammunition used. This is a budgetary item that requires congressional approval, and, for now, the change in the vote of many Republicans does not foreshadow a smooth process.A new ultimatum
The fact that two months of war have passed has also put Republican congressmen in a difficult position to argue. According to federal law, after 60 days of campaigning, the executive is obliged to ask for permission from the legislature and, if not, must withdraw the troops. The White House insists that technically the 60 days have not been met, because since April 8 there has been a truce in effect and, therefore, the rule does not apply. At the same time, Trump said Monday that he had been only "an hour" away from ordering a new attack against Iran but had stopped it at the request of the Gulf allies. In fact, he has again given a vague ultimatum to the ayatollahs to reach an agreement. The deadline is moving between this weekend and early next week.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican who has so far voted against war powers resolutions, already expressed his frustration this week with the Trump administration's position, and especially with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "The current statu quo demonstrates how incompetent Pete Hegseth is," Tillis told reporters.
Republican primaries
However, it is still too early to interpret this shift in votes as a sign of legislators' willingness to rebel against Trump. The senators who have switched to the Democratic side, with one exception, are those who have always been most critical of the president. The novelty in the Senate was the vote of Bill Cassidy, representative of Louisiana, who did not make the turn until this week when he lost the primaries after the tycoon supported his rival.
In fact, this week's result in the Kentucky primaries has already made clear the cost of opposing the president. Republican Thomas Massie, a dissenting voice against the tycoon, lost last Tuesday to Ed Gallerin, his rival whom Trump had been sponsoring to get rid of Massie. The leader and his allies invested more than 35,000 million dollars in the campaign to bury the black sheep. The result of these primaries was also a test to see if it was still possible within the party to go against Trump and survive.
