US President Donald Trump was left fuming on social media after the Senate approved a war powers resolution to block military action against Iran. The developments came even as negotiations between the two countries continued haltingly after a newly signed ceasefire deal. 

It was the tenth time that the Senate had sought to end the war — getting blocked repeatedly by Republican members and even some Democrats.  Lawmakers have grown increasingly wary as they watch Trump’s efforts to resolve a conflict that the government launched on its own and now needs Congress to fund. The absence of two key Republicans — Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick — appear to have finally tilted the vote in favor of the resolution. It passed 50-48 with John Fetterman as the lone Democrat voting in support of Trump.

Trump lashes out at party leaders

Trump was vehement in his criticism of the lawmakers following the vote — calling them “losers” and insisting their “unpatriotic” actions had made his job harder.

“So, I have Iran on the ‘ropes’, ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything, and for the first time in decades, respecting the hell out of the United States and its President, ME, and the US Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote, telling the Number One Sponser of Terror in the World that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the Enemy,” began a vehement Truth Social post.

“Four Republican Losers voted with the Dumocrats (his preferred nickname for the opposite party), and Iran asked my people, ‘what does that all mean?’ These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!” Trump insisted.

Does this change anything?

The resolution directs the president to remove US armed forces from hostilities against Iran. It had earlier passed the US House of Representatives by a vote of 215-208 — with four Republicans voting alongside Democrats. But any such resolution typically passes onto the President for his signature after clearing both houses of Legislature. And it is rather unlikely that Trump would sign a document censuring himself. 

A White House official however told CNN that this was a concurrent resolution that therefore did not require the president’s signature. Authorities said it also does not carry the force of law. The Trump administration maintains that such a requirement was unnecessary because “there are no hostilities from which to remove US forces, as hostilities terminated with the ceasefire on April 7”.