Senator John Fetterman cast the deciding vote on Wednesday to block the Democrats’ seventh attempt to advance a resolution under the War Powers Act aimed at halting President Donald Trump’s military campaign in Iran. This marked the first Senate vote on a measure to end the conflict since it surpassed the 60-day threshold outlined in the War Powers Act, which mandates presidential withdrawal unless Congress authorizes continued action or declares war.
The resolution failed by a single vote, with a final tally of 49-50. Three Republicans—Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Rand Paul—defied party leadership to support the measure. Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it, aligning instead with Republican and Israeli positions.
Fetterman has been vocal in his criticism of Iran, calling it “the real enemy, the real threat, the real danger.” However, his vote contradicts both his party’s stance and the preferences of his constituents. A March poll revealed that Pennsylvania voters held a -16 net disapproval rating of recent U.S. military strikes in Iran.
Reports indicate that Trump has privately urged Republicans to persuade Fetterman to switch parties, aiming to bolster the GOP’s narrow Senate majority. Fetterman dismissed the idea, stating he would make a “shitty Republican,” while Trump has publicly referred to him as his “favorite Democrat.”
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