Chuck Schumer says Democrats will force '4th vote' to 'rein in' Trump’s Iran war

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen. Chuck Schumer has intensified calls to curb presidential war powers amid the escalating US-Iran conflict, leading Democratic efforts to restore Congress’s central role as divisions deepen over President Donald Trump’s handling of the crisis.

The developments occurred amid a fragile ceasefire after six weeks of intense fighting, as the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on February 28 targeting Iran’s political and military leadership following the collapse of negotiations over its nuclear program.

Chuck Schumer leads Democrats’ push against Trump’s Iran strategy

Schumer urged Republicans to support a vote to limit Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran, as House Democrats move to force a new war powers vote on Thursday, April 16, according to two people familiar with internal planning. 

The vote would be the first on the House floor since March 5, just a week after Trump launched strikes. Schumer said on X, "This week, for the 4th time since this war began, Democrats will force a vote to stop the war in Iran and rein in an out-of-control Trump. For the 4th time, Republicans will have the chance to end this war."

In a previous post, he also criticized the administration’s actions, referring to them as 'Operation Epic Failure,' a play on the official name 'Epic Fury.'

He cited what he described as negative outcomes, including chaos in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian regime still standing, gas prices at their highest in years, unchanged nuclear ambitions, and declining international credibility for the United States.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer accused Trump of taking the country into war without consulting Congress or securing authorization for the use of military force. “Trump took America to war. He did it without consulting Congress. He did it without authorization for the use of military force. He did it without a plan, without a strategy,” he said.

He added that Republicans backing the president share responsibility, stating they “own Operation Epic Failure” alongside Trump. Schumer emphasized that Congress must assert its constitutional role, saying "it is not a spectator" and must ensure no president can take the country into war alone.

Democrats’ War Powers push and escalating US-Iran conflict

Sen. Tim Kaine announced that six additional Democratic senators, Jeff Merkley, Kirsten Gillibrand, Chris Van Hollen, Mark Kelly, Raphael Warnock, and Andy Kim, would join other democrats in filing a new wave of war powers resolutions to force a Senate vote to end the Iran war.

Kelly, a vocal critic of the administration, said Americans want improvements at home rather than being drawn into another prolonged Middle East conflict that risks service members and increases costs. He stressed that Congress has the authority to stop the situation and refocus on domestic priorities such as lowering costs.

These political developments come as the US military has begun a blockade of Iran’s ports, according to Trump. Iran has threatened retaliation against Gulf neighbors’ ports after talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the war broke down. 

A US official said engagement with Iran continues, with efforts underway to reach an agreement. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also stated that attempts to resolve the conflict are ongoing. Oil prices have surged back to $100 per barrel amid disruptions, particularly due to concerns over the Strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes.

Trump said Iran had reached out seeking a deal, but reiterated that no agreement would allow it to possess a nuclear weapon. He also warned that Iranian vessels or ships interacting with the blockade could face military action.

Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Defense, cautioned that foreign military involvement in the strait would escalate instability and threaten global energy security. NATO allies, including Britain and France, have declined to participate in the blockade, instead emphasizing the importance of reopening the waterway and avoiding further escalation.