Democratic Senator Uses Trump's Words Against Him to Push Bill Limiting War Powers: 'The US Should Not Be in Endless Wars'

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine — Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine invoked President Donald Trump's past anti-war comments to push a resolution that would block military action against Iran without Congressional approval. MSNBC screenshot

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is using President Donald Trump's own words to press for a new War Powers Resolution that would prevent the U.S. from entering armed conflict with Iran without Congressional approval.

Tensions between Iran and Israel have intensified in recent days, raising fears that the United States could be drawn into yet another military engagement in the Middle East.

On June 16, Kaine introduced a War Powers Resolution requiring a full debate and vote in Congress before any military force can be used against Iran. During a live interview on MSNBC, Kaine pointed to Trump's own call to "stop the endless wars" as justification for the resolution, saying, "This is reminding Donald Trump what he said in 2016."

Kaine: "When I got to elected to the Senate in 2012, I told myself that if I ever had a chance to stop an unnecessary war of the kind we were living through then, I would do everything possible to do that ... I view this resolution as reminding Donald Trump what he has said 2016,… pic.twitter.com/SIYS6NkCP8
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 17, 2025

"When I got to elected to the Senate in 2012, I told myself that if I ever had a chance to stop an unnecessary war of the kind we were living through then, I would do everything possible to do that ... I view this resolution as reminding Donald Trump what he has said 2016, which is the US should not be in endless wars in the Middle East," Kaine said.

Back in 2019, Trump tweeted "Stop the ENDLESS WARS!" after confirming that the U.S. would withdraw troops from Syria. When Trump ran for president the first time in 2016, he campaigned against involvement in foreign wars, the Military Times reported at the time.

Kaine has consistently warned against unchecked presidential war powers. He previously authored resolutions to limit U.S. involvement in Iran and helped repeal outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force from previous conflicts.

The resolution underscores that only Congress can declare war, and it mandates that U.S. involvement in hostilities with Iran must be explicitly authorized, except in cases of imminent self-defense. The resolution triggers a mandatory Senate vote, placing pressure on both parties to take a public stance on military engagement with Iran.

If passed, the resolution could redefine the limits of presidential military authority and reassert Congressional power over war decisions.