John Fetterman Is The Lone Democrat To Vote Against War Powers Resolution Restricting Trump's Ability To Wage War In Iran

John Fetterman was the lone Democratic senator to vote against the War Powers Resolution seeking to limit President Donald Trump's ability to continue waging war in Iran.

The vote was 53-47, short of the simple majority needed to move the resolution to the Senate floor. It sought to remove ""the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force." It was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine.

When backing the initiative, he noted that the Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war, and Trump and some of his official have described the ongoing hostilities as such.

"You can't stand up and say this is a pinprick that doesn't lead to the level that would be characterized as war. You can't stand up and say this is one and done and no troops are engaged in hostilities against Iran. Members of the Senate, this is war!" Kaine said during a passage of a floor speech before the vote.

Sen. Rand Paul, in contrast, was the only Republican to support the vote. He criticized the strikes last Saturday, saying that "like most Americans I have sympathy for the plight of the Iranian people and all subjected people around the globe, from North Korea to Tibet," but quoted John Quincy Adam and said the U.S. "goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy."

Fetterman had already anticipated he would reject the initiative, slamming the fellow senators who planned to support it.

In a social media publication, Fetterman said that "every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon," so he was "baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that." "Empty sloganeering vs. commitment to global security — which is it?" Fetterman added.

Fetterman immediately came out to support strikes on Iran on Saturday, praising Trump for being "willing to do what's right and necessary to produce real peace in the region."