A bipartisan alliance aims to restrain Trump's intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict
Power Struggles in Capitol Hill: The Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution
WASHINGTON - A motley crew of politicians - ranging from diehard supporters of President Donald Trump to vocal opponents of U.S. involvement in foreign wars - are raising red flags over the prospect of the United States taking part in the Israel-Iran conflict.
This diverse coalition could prove to be a massive headache for Trump, threatening his grip on the hard-right base of the Republican Party.
Kentucky Republican, libertarian maverick Rep. Thomas Massie, has joined forces with Californian progressive Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna to push for a war powers resolution that demands the administration seek congressional authorization before participating in the Israel-Iran conflict in any meaningful capacity.
"This ain't our scrap," Massie declared on his X account. "But if it were, Congress needs to decide such matters according to our Constitution."
His announcement sparked a flurry of progressive Democrats to pledge their support, with heavyweights like New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan's Rashida Tlaib, both members of "the squad," jumping on board.
Tlaib took to X to voice her stance, stating, "We were misled about 'weapons of mass destruction' in Iraq that led to millions of lives changed forever. It's unconstitutional for Trump to go to war without a vote in Congress."
In the past, Massie and Khanna collaborated on a similar resolution during the first Trump administration seeking to curb U.S. involvement in Yemen's conflict. Although Trump declined to sign the resolution, which sailed through both Houses, he eventually nixed plans for active U.S. military engagement [1][2].
Khanna foresees this issue testing the resolve of Trump loyalists to break ranks with the president.
"This is where many in the MAGA base draw the line," Khanna said. "It's different; it has a different intensity compared to concerns about Trump's fiscal or tariff policies."
The concern over potential U.S. involvement echoes throughout the MAGA political sphere. Media personalities like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon have cautioned Trump against wading the U.S. deeper into what they view as a potentially endless conflict. Trump responded by labeling Carlson "cuckoo." Georgia's Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump's staunchest administrative allies, rushed to Carlson's defense on X.
Greene proclaimed Carlson as one of her favorite people and argued that "foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction."
Khanna contends that a non-interventionist stance was a cornerstone of Trump's political rise.
"I feel like the MAGA movement started as a rejection of the Bush and neocon war in Iraq. That was a fundamental part of their identity," Khanna explained.
Khanna and Massie plan to introduce the measure as a privileged resolution, ensuring a floor vote within 15 days and administration of bypassing House leadership [1]. Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally, may have the power to revoke the resolution's privilege, but his response remains unclear [3].
Should the resolution make it to the floor, Khanna concedes that the entire Democratic conference might not be on board.
"There are still remnants of folks in Congress who voted for the Iraq war," Khanna said. "But the number of hardliners advocating for a militaristic approach in the Middle East is dwindling."
Across the Capitol, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is spearheading an effort to bar Trump from engaging the U.S. in a war with Iran without congressional consent, stressing that the U.S. presence should only be for defense against an imminent attack [2][4].
Sources:[1] [ArticleA][2] [ArticleB][3] [ArticleC][4] [ArticleD]
The war powers resolution being proposed by Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna has sparked a divide among politicians, drawing the focus of both general news and politics. This dispute could challenge the allegiance of Trump's loyalists, as many in the MAGA base prioritize a non-interventionist stance, a cornerstone of Trump's political rise, in matters concerning foreign wars.
