Senate enters new era as Democrats prepare to cut funding for Iran war

Chuck Schumer, the leader of Senate Democrats, said they would end the war with Iran after winning both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Schumer said some Republicans had joined them, signaling that they would pressure Trump through Congress’s budget authority.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, said they would end the war with Iran after winning majorities in both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Schumer, who will become Senate majority leader when the new Congress convenes in January, sharply criticized the Trump administration’s Iran policy at a news conference held at the headquarters of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) in Washington.

Arguing that Trump had repeatedly changed his statements about the war’s “mission,” Schumer said, “The American people have no idea what we are fighting for in Iran. We will end the war with Iran. There are also some Republicans who are joining us to end the war.”

“The Founding Fathers gave Congress budget authority for this”

Schumer stressed that budget authority was one way to deter a president from going to war without the public’s consent and said Democrats would take steps to pressure Trump on the budget. He also signaled that funding for the Defense Department could be cut if necessary to bring the war to a swift end.

Democrats are considering this route because Trump could veto a binding war powers resolution even if it passed the Senate. The Hill reported that the approximately $70 billion in emergency Pentagon funding requested by the White House in June remains stalled because of Democratic opposition, while the annual defense appropriations bill is also making no progress.

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Four Republican senators had voted with Democrats

Schumer did not name the Republicans who had joined them. However, four Republican senators—Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul—had voted with Democrats during consideration of the latest war powers resolution on Iran.

“The days of begging are over”

Schumer said they would use every avenue available in Congress, adding, “The days when the Senate was used to beg Trump are over.” The Democratic leader said they had clearly understood voters’ message on the economy and stressed their determination to tackle the cost of living: “Whether he is president or not, we will do everything we can to lower costs, period.”

The remarks came on the same day that Trump said the war with Iran was worth it and would end “whenever he wanted,” while Vice President JD Vance said the reason for the defeat was the “war.” The U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28 without congressional approval.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons (archive), Anadolu Agency

Senate enters new era as Democrats prepare to cut funding for Iran war