Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives abruptly canceled a scheduled vote on Thursday on a war powers resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump's military authority in Iran. The decision came as it became clear that the GOP did not have sufficient votes to defeat the Democrat-backed measure, which would have required the president to obtain congressional authorization for continued military operations against Tehran.
The resolution, brought forward by Democratic members, would have been Congress' first successful rebuke of Trump's Iran war effort since the conflict began on February 28, 2026. Multiple previous war powers attempts had failed along party lines. However, the political landscape shifted when Representative Jared Golden of Maine, the lone Democrat who had consistently voted against such resolutions, indicated he planned to flip his vote to support the measure this time.
With several Republican members absent and Golden's vote switch threatening to tip the balance, GOP leaders chose to pull the resolution rather than face a potentially embarrassing defeat. The leadership plans to bring the measure back for a vote when the chamber reconvenes after the weeklong Memorial Day recess. The Senate had already passed a similar measure two days earlier, marking growing bipartisan unease with the president's unilateral military campaign.
The canceled vote is the latest sign of eroding congressional support for a war that Trump launched more than two months ago without formal authorization from Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, and the War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to seek congressional approval for sustained military operations. Critics argue that the Iran campaign has long exceeded the statutory limits for unauthorized military action.
The development comes amid a broader political backlash against the war's economic consequences, including elevated fuel prices, disrupted global trade through the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and declining presidential approval ratings. When Congress returns from recess, both chambers are expected to face renewed pressure from constituents and advocacy groups demanding a formal debate on the scope and duration of American military involvement in the Middle East.