John Fetterman Says He’ll Again Oppose Iran War Powers Resolution: We Have To ‘Stand’ With Our Military

by | Apr 10, 2026 | General

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said Wednesday he will again vote against a war powers resolution aimed at halting U.S. military strikes on Iran, breaking with most Democrats as Congress prepares another fight over President Donald Trump’s use of force.

Fetterman Stands Apart From His Party

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said earlier in the day that the Senate would vote on the measure next week, but Fetterman, a staunch supporter of Israel, told Fox News host Sean Hannity he would oppose it.

“We have to stand [with] our military to allow them to accomplish the goals of Epic Fury,” Fetterman said. “I’m old enough to remember we used to root for our military, and we would all agree that Iran is the world’s leading terrorism underwriter.”

Earlier Votes Exposed Deep Democratic Split

The Pennsylvania Democrat has taken that position before. Separate war powers resolutions backed last month by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) all failed in the Senate, with Fetterman the only Democrat to oppose at least one of those efforts and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) the lone Republican to support them.

Those votes highlighted how isolated Fetterman has become inside his party on Iran, even as some Republicans have also begun voicing concern about Congress’s role if the conflict stretches beyond the War Powers Act’s 60-day window.

Schumer Pushes Congress To Reassert Authority

Schumer, by contrast, said Congress must “reassert” its constitutional authority over war powers. “No president, Democrat or Republican, should take this country to war alone. Not now, not ever,” he said on Wednesday while announcing the coming Senate vote.

His comments came after the Trump administration agreed Tuesday to a fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran, though the truce remains contested and Iranian officials have accused Israel of violating it by continuing strikes in Lebanon. Before the ceasefire, Trump threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in Iran if Tehran did not comply with his demands.

In the House, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday that Democrats would try to pass a war powers resolution by unanimous consent during a Thursday pro forma session scheduled for 11:30 am EDT. That effort failed when House Republicans quickly adjourned the session, blocking Democrats from even offering the measure.

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