Foreign Policy

The Iran conflict has no congressional authorization and no end date

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iranian military targets. The strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeted Iran’s navy and ballistic missile capabilities. Congress was not consulted. Congress did not vote.

Here is what happened next:

The May 19 vote was the eighth attempt. It was the first to succeed. Four Republican senators voted with Democrats:

Senator	State	Notes
Rand Paul	Kentucky	Has voted for every war powers resolution in 2026
Susan Collins	Maine	Said the 60-day deadline is “not a suggestion, it is a requirement”
Lisa Murkowski	Alaska	Said Congress has a role and open-ended military action requires “clear accountability”
Bill Cassidy	Louisiana	Broke with his party for the first time on war powers after losing a primary

The resolution still needs a final Senate vote and a House vote. House leadership pulled a scheduled companion vote after the May 14 tie showed they could not guarantee the outcome.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators that the ceasefire “pauses, or stops” the 60-day clock. Lawmakers from both parties rejected that reading. As Lawfare noted, the administration’s position is that the president can bomb a country, declare a ceasefire, and reset the clock indefinitely without ever asking Congress for permission.

What the Constitution actually says

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. Not the president. Not the Pentagon. Congress.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 tried to enforce this. It requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into hostilities and to withdraw them within 60 days unless Congress votes to authorize the action. The president can extend that window by 30 days if needed to withdraw safely. That is the law.

Requirement	Source	What it means
Notify Congress within 48 hours	War Powers Resolution, Section 4(a)(1)	The president must tell Congress when troops enter hostilities
60-day authorization clock	War Powers Resolution, Section 5(b)	Congress must vote to authorize or the president must withdraw
30-day safe withdrawal extension	War Powers Resolution, Section 5(b)	President can extend only if needed to remove forces safely
Only Congress declares war	U.S. Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 8	The most fundamental limit on presidential war-making

Every president since Nixon has treated the War Powers Resolution as advisory. This administration has gone further, calling the 60-day requirement unconstitutional. That is not a legal argument. It is a refusal.

---

Venezuela set the template for acting without Congress

Before Iran, there was Venezuela. On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces struck targets in Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro and his wife were transported to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima to face drug trafficking charges from a 2020 indictment. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a law enforcement action, not a military one.

Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela until a “proper transition can take place” and that U.S. oil companies would “fix the badly broken infrastructure” and “start making money for the country.”

Five Republican senators initially voted with Democrats on a war powers resolution demanding congressional authorization. Trump called for them to lose their seats. Two of the five, Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana, flipped their votes after receiving assurances from Secretary Rubio. The final resolution failed 51-50, with Vice President Vance casting the deciding vote.

Brazil, Chile, and Mexico condemned the operation. Brazil’s President Lula called it a “dangerous precedent.” Argentina’s President Milei praised it.

Venezuela set the pattern that Iran would follow: act first, call it something other than war, dare Congress to stop you.

---

The president says he can do “anything” with Cuba

Trump has publicly said he could “free” or “take” Cuba, adding “I think I could do anything I want with it.” A Pentagon official told Congress he was not aware of plans to strike Cuba but called the island a “significant threat.”

Sen. Kaine introduced the Prevent an Unconstitutional War in Cuba Act, which would block military action in Cuba without a congressional vote. Senate Republicans blocked it in April. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida argued Trump had never suggested putting troops on the ground, making the resolution “a complete waste of time.”

Kaine’s response: the Constitution does not say the president gets to start a war and Congress gets to clean it up afterward. It says Congress votes first. The Cuba bill would enforce that.

---

Tariffs against allies, military threats against friends

In January 2026, the White House said “all options” were on the table for acquiring Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. When asked about military force, a White House spokesperson said the military is “always an option.”

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded: “Stop the threats.” Thousands of Danes protested in Copenhagen under the banner “Not for sale.”

Trump imposed 10% tariffs on eight EU countries that opposed the acquisition, threatening to raise them to 25% by June. European leaders issued a joint statement condemning the tariffs and standing in “full solidarity” with Denmark.

A bipartisan congressional delegation traveled to Copenhagen in January to reassure Denmark. The delegation included Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both Republicans. Tillis called the push for coercive action to seize allied territory “beyond stupid” and said it undercuts NATO.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced bipartisan legislation to block a U.S. takeover of Greenland, barring the administration from annexing or conducting military operations there.

At Davos on January 21, Trump backed off his military threat and said he had a “concept of a deal,” though no deal materialized. The tariffs remain.

---

Congress has voted eight times to stop unauthorized wars and failed seven

Across Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, and Greenland, the same sequence repeats:

1. The president acts without congressional authorization.
2. Congress introduces a war powers resolution.
3. Most Republicans vote to block it.
4. A handful of Republicans defect, but not enough.
5. The administration claims the action was not really “hostilities” or redefines the legal framework.
6. The clock resets and the cycle starts again.

Since January 2026, Congress has held at least eight Senate votes and multiple House votes on war powers resolutions. None have passed both chambers.

Three senators have voted consistently to enforce war powers across every opportunity: Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski. Bill Cassidy joined them on May 19 after losing his primary, which freed him from party pressure.

The question is whether enough House Republicans will do the same.

---

Protect yourself right now

1. Know who your senator is and how they voted. If your senator voted to block war powers resolutions, call them. Tell them the Constitution is not optional. If your senator voted yes, call them and say thank you. They took a risk. Let them know it matters.

2. Know the timeline. The May 19 Senate vote was procedural. The final vote has not happened. The House companion vote was pulled. Both chambers must pass the resolution before it reaches the president. Track the schedule through congress.gov.

3. Show up at town halls. Your representative has to answer for these votes. Bring this page. Ask them specifically whether they support requiring a congressional vote before military action. Get their answer on the record.

4. Share this page. Most people do not know that Congress has voted eight times to stop unauthorized military action and failed seven of those times. They should.