Four Republicans Defect, Trump's War on Iran Stalled
Trump's war against Iran has encountered an unprecedented setback in the U.S. political arena.
According to The New York Times, on the 3rd, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill restricting Trump's war powers, requiring that he cannot launch further strikes against Iran without formal authorization from Congress.
Although under U.S. legislative procedures this bill is likely to be vetoed by Trump, one detail stands out: this is the first time since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict in late February that the House has passed such a bill limiting war powers. Previously, multiple similar proposals were blocked due to collective resistance from Republicans, but this time four Republican lawmakers chose to "defect" and joined forces with Democrats to pass the legislation.
These four crucial votes reflect, to some extent, Republican dissatisfaction with Trump's unilateral approach—this discontent is not limited to his decisions regarding war with Iran. Recently, Trump's push for an $18 billion "anti-depoliticization" fund, a budget intended to "compensate" his supporters allegedly persecuted by Democrats, has also faced resistance within the Republican Party.
Republican senators have even issued warnings stating that if Trump refuses to cut off this funding—which functions essentially as a reward for his allies—they will not support the passage of Trump's immigration bill.
In short, with midterm elections just five months away, amid rising oil prices and growing discontent among agricultural states, Republicans now hope Trump will act like a normal president—constraining military operations, negotiating with Iran to end the war, rather than posturing aggressively while simultaneously seeking ways to enrich his own supporters.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867052567295049/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.