US Republicans back Trump on Iran war despite voter unease
Republicans in Congress are backing Donald Trump's Iran war strategy even as they seek more answers. The gap between public unease and party loyalty is sharpening before fresh war powers votes and the November elections.
Republicans in the US Congress are trying to balance support for President Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Iran with growing public unease ahead of the November elections. While some Republican lawmakers say they want more clarity from the administration on the endgame and the rising cost of the conflict, they have continued to defend Trump’s decision to engage and have repeatedly voted to leave war powers with the White House.
The pressure has increased as the conflict has entered what Democrats call a more dangerous phase, with Americans killed, fresh airstrikes carried out by the US, and petrol prices rising. Lawmakers in both the Senate and the House are expected to face fresh votes this week on whether Trump should seek congressional approval for military action against Iran.
As Congress weighs its next steps, the US has launched waves of airstrikes in recent days as Washington and Tehran clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at a hearing on Tuesday that the US had spent USD 37.5 billion on the war so far. On Wednesday, Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base for the arrival and dignified transfer of the remains of four US service members.
At the hearing, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy pressed military leaders for more detail. "Is anyone out there in the real world happy with gas prices? No," Kennedy said. "But I think they understand why gas prices are as high as they are." Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat expected to lead the next war powers vote as soon as Thursday, said: "I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs - I think it’s important that people be held accountable. And this is a very unpopular war."
Recent polling suggests most Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling the situation with Iran. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in July found that few Americans think the war has been worth fighting, and most are not confident that US military action and negotiations to end the war will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Among Republicans, about two-thirds approve of Trump’s handling of the situation, while about six in 10 think the war has been worth fighting. But about one-third are not convinced.
Some Republicans facing re-election have acknowledged the difficulty of defending the war at home. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he tells voters he has seen the intelligence and believes the war was necessary to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon, but added that the US must "finish the job". He said, "It’s challenging" to explain it to people back home. "It’s complicated, and a lot of the stuff we know, we can’t talk about, because it’s classified." Maine Senator Susan Collins also questioned military leaders about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "It seems to me that there’s been a different plan almost daily with dealing with this problem."
The political risks have also shown up in earlier war powers votes. Collins was one of four Republicans who joined Democrats in June when the Senate passed a war powers resolution on Iran for the first time. Trump, angered by the vote, attended a Republican Senate luncheon the next day and called the four Republicans "losers". Another Republican who voted for the resolution was Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who later lost his Senate seat in a primary after Trump endorsed one of his opponents. In that closed-door luncheon, Cassidy told Trump, "This was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved." Cassidy later said Trump pushed back, and that he told the president he would not change his vote until he got a briefing. After the White House gave him a one-on-one meeting, Cassidy switched his vote in a late-night do-over before the Senate left for a two-week recess. Asked on Wednesday if recent developments would change his position on the next resolution, Cassidy said, "I’m not commenting on that."
The House is expected to consider a war powers resolution on Thursday, after approving a similar measure in June. It is not clear if enough Republicans will again join Democrats to pass the resolution, which is being led by Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson has strongly lobbied Republicans against the measure and, echoing Trump, said this week that the US had ensured Iran does not have a nuclear weapon that "would be a disaster for everybody". He added that there is a global understanding that "now we got to wrap it up". Trump, speaking before his trip to Dover on Wednesday, said he remained confident in his approach: "Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they aren’t against the war."
The debate in Congress now centres on whether Republicans who have voiced concerns in private will do so publicly as the elections near, even as the administration continues military action and fresh votes on war powers put party unity under strain.
With PTI Inputs
Republicans in the US Congress are trying to balance support for President Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Iran with growing public unease ahead of the November elections. While some Republican lawmakers say they want more clarity from the administration on the endgame and the rising cost of the conflict, they have continued to defend Trump’s decision to engage and have repeatedly voted to leave war powers with the White House.
The pressure has increased as the conflict has entered what Democrats call a more dangerous phase, with Americans killed, fresh airstrikes carried out by the US, and petrol prices rising. Lawmakers in both the Senate and the House are expected to face fresh votes this week on whether Trump should seek congressional approval for military action against Iran.
As Congress weighs its next steps, the US has launched waves of airstrikes in recent days as Washington and Tehran clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at a hearing on Tuesday that the US had spent USD 37.5 billion on the war so far. On Wednesday, Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base for the arrival and dignified transfer of the remains of four US service members.
At the hearing, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy pressed military leaders for more detail. "Is anyone out there in the real world happy with gas prices? No," Kennedy said. "But I think they understand why gas prices are as high as they are." Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat expected to lead the next war powers vote as soon as Thursday, said: "I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs - I think it’s important that people be held accountable. And this is a very unpopular war."
Recent polling suggests most Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling the situation with Iran. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in July found that few Americans think the war has been worth fighting, and most are not confident that US military action and negotiations to end the war will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Among Republicans, about two-thirds approve of Trump’s handling of the situation, while about six in 10 think the war has been worth fighting. But about one-third are not convinced.
Some Republicans facing re-election have acknowledged the difficulty of defending the war at home. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he tells voters he has seen the intelligence and believes the war was necessary to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon, but added that the US must "finish the job". He said, "It’s challenging" to explain it to people back home. "It’s complicated, and a lot of the stuff we know, we can’t talk about, because it’s classified." Maine Senator Susan Collins also questioned military leaders about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "It seems to me that there’s been a different plan almost daily with dealing with this problem."
The political risks have also shown up in earlier war powers votes. Collins was one of four Republicans who joined Democrats in June when the Senate passed a war powers resolution on Iran for the first time. Trump, angered by the vote, attended a Republican Senate luncheon the next day and called the four Republicans "losers". Another Republican who voted for the resolution was Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who later lost his Senate seat in a primary after Trump endorsed one of his opponents. In that closed-door luncheon, Cassidy told Trump, "This was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved." Cassidy later said Trump pushed back, and that he told the president he would not change his vote until he got a briefing. After the White House gave him a one-on-one meeting, Cassidy switched his vote in a late-night do-over before the Senate left for a two-week recess. Asked on Wednesday if recent developments would change his position on the next resolution, Cassidy said, "I’m not commenting on that."
The House is expected to consider a war powers resolution on Thursday, after approving a similar measure in June. It is not clear if enough Republicans will again join Democrats to pass the resolution, which is being led by Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson has strongly lobbied Republicans against the measure and, echoing Trump, said this week that the US had ensured Iran does not have a nuclear weapon that "would be a disaster for everybody". He added that there is a global understanding that "now we got to wrap it up". Trump, speaking before his trip to Dover on Wednesday, said he remained confident in his approach: "Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they aren’t against the war."
The debate in Congress now centres on whether Republicans who have voiced concerns in private will do so publicly as the elections near, even as the administration continues military action and fresh votes on war powers put party unity under strain.
With PTI Inputs
Republicans in the US Congress are trying to balance support for President Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Iran with growing public unease ahead of the November elections. While some Republican lawmakers say they want more clarity from the administration on the endgame and the rising cost of the conflict, they have continued to defend Trump’s decision to engage and have repeatedly voted to leave war powers with the White House.
The pressure has increased as the conflict has entered what Democrats call a more dangerous phase, with Americans killed, fresh airstrikes carried out by the US, and petrol prices rising. Lawmakers in both the Senate and the House are expected to face fresh votes this week on whether Trump should seek congressional approval for military action against Iran.
As Congress weighs its next steps, the US has launched waves of airstrikes in recent days as Washington and Tehran clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at a hearing on Tuesday that the US had spent USD 37.5 billion on the war so far. On Wednesday, Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base for the arrival and dignified transfer of the remains of four US service members.
At the hearing, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy pressed military leaders for more detail. "Is anyone out there in the real world happy with gas prices? No," Kennedy said. "But I think they understand why gas prices are as high as they are." Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat expected to lead the next war powers vote as soon as Thursday, said: "I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs - I think it’s important that people be held accountable. And this is a very unpopular war."
Recent polling suggests most Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling the situation with Iran. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in July found that few Americans think the war has been worth fighting, and most are not confident that US military action and negotiations to end the war will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Among Republicans, about two-thirds approve of Trump’s handling of the situation, while about six in 10 think the war has been worth fighting. But about one-third are not convinced.
Some Republicans facing re-election have acknowledged the difficulty of defending the war at home. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he tells voters he has seen the intelligence and believes the war was necessary to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon, but added that the US must "finish the job". He said, "It’s challenging" to explain it to people back home. "It’s complicated, and a lot of the stuff we know, we can’t talk about, because it’s classified." Maine Senator Susan Collins also questioned military leaders about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "It seems to me that there’s been a different plan almost daily with dealing with this problem."
The political risks have also shown up in earlier war powers votes. Collins was one of four Republicans who joined Democrats in June when the Senate passed a war powers resolution on Iran for the first time. Trump, angered by the vote, attended a Republican Senate luncheon the next day and called the four Republicans "losers". Another Republican who voted for the resolution was Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who later lost his Senate seat in a primary after Trump endorsed one of his opponents. In that closed-door luncheon, Cassidy told Trump, "This was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved." Cassidy later said Trump pushed back, and that he told the president he would not change his vote until he got a briefing. After the White House gave him a one-on-one meeting, Cassidy switched his vote in a late-night do-over before the Senate left for a two-week recess. Asked on Wednesday if recent developments would change his position on the next resolution, Cassidy said, "I’m not commenting on that."
The House is expected to consider a war powers resolution on Thursday, after approving a similar measure in June. It is not clear if enough Republicans will again join Democrats to pass the resolution, which is being led by Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson has strongly lobbied Republicans against the measure and, echoing Trump, said this week that the US had ensured Iran does not have a nuclear weapon that "would be a disaster for everybody". He added that there is a global understanding that "now we got to wrap it up". Trump, speaking before his trip to Dover on Wednesday, said he remained confident in his approach: "Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they aren’t against the war."
The debate in Congress now centres on whether Republicans who have voiced concerns in private will do so publicly as the elections near, even as the administration continues military action and fresh votes on war powers put party unity under strain.
With PTI Inputs
