4 GOP senators rebel against Trump on Iran war, vote with Dems to rein in authority

The Senate on Thursday rejected another Democratic-led effort to limit President Donald Trump's authority to continue military action against Iran, with most Republicans backing the president even as voters grow frustrated over the war's toll on gas and diesel prices. The war, approaching its eighth month, has strained some Republicans on the campaign trail who have called for an "immediate end" to the conflict, though senators in Washington largely held firm behind Trump. Four Republicans broke ranks to vote with Democrats: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and, newly, Thom Tillis, who is retiring at the end of the year. Tillis said he backed the resolution because the administration had again missed a 60-day deadline for consulting Congress on the war, saying "We deserve an update" and that Congress could assist "if you inform us." The measure had cleared the House earlier, with seven Republicans joining Democrats, but its Senate defeat means it will not reach Trump's desk; even if it had, backers lacked a veto-proof majority to override an expected veto. Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the political toll of rising fuel costs, saying there is "voter fatigue with high gas prices and high diesel prices" and that he hopes the administration focuses on reopening shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz to help bring down global energy prices, according to Fox News.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News →