House Effort to End Trump's War with Iran Fails by One Vote

The nearly party-line vote shows Republicans are sticking with the president's military campaign in Iran.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:21pm

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A dynamic, fragmented painting in warm tones depicting the silhouette of a military aircraft or drone, conveying the escalating tensions and conflict between the U.S. and Iran.The House's failure to rein in President Trump's military campaign in Iran reflects the partisan gridlock over the president's war powers.NYC Today

The Republican-controlled House voted 213-214 to reject a resolution ordering President Donald Trump to end the war in Iran. The measure, proposed by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., would have directed the president to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. Just one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted for the resolution, while one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against it.

Why it matters

The vote highlights the deep partisan divide over the president's military engagement in Iran, with Republicans overwhelmingly supporting Trump's campaign and Democrats seeking to rein in his war powers. The failure of the resolution also comes as polls show the public does not support the war, and as the economic fallout, including rising gas and diesel prices, threatens to become a political liability for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The details

The House vote followed a similar 52-47 rejection of a war powers resolution in the Senate the previous day. Republicans have largely stood by Trump's military actions in Iran, while Democrats have sought to impose checks on the president's authority. The resolution would have allowed exceptions for extreme cases under the War Powers Resolution, but ultimately failed to gain enough support to pass the House.

  • The House voted on the resolution on April 16, 2026.
  • The Senate voted on a similar measure the previous day, on April 15, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The president who launched the military campaign in Iran.

Gregory Meeks

The Democratic representative from New York who proposed the resolution to end the war in Iran.

Thomas Massie

The Republican representative from Kentucky who voted for the resolution to end the war in Iran.

Jared Golden

The Democratic representative from Maine who voted against the resolution to end the war in Iran.

Mike Johnson

The Republican representative from Louisiana and House Speaker who sided with Trump in his public spat with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.

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What they’re saying

“'Donald Trump has dragged the American people into a war of choice, launched without congressional authorization. The president has no coherent strategy, and this open-ended, undefined military engagement is precisely what the War Powers Resolution was designed to restrain. Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp.'”

— Gregory Meeks, Democratic Representative from New York

“'A pontiff or any religious leader can say anything they want, but obviously if you wade into political waters, I think you should expect some political response. And I think the Pope's received some of that.'”

— Mike Johnson, Republican Representative from Louisiana and House Speaker

What’s next

The House vote came one day after the Senate rejected a similar measure to end the war in Iran. The issue is likely to continue to be a point of contention between Republicans and Democrats, with the economic fallout from the war potentially becoming a political liability for the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The takeaway

The failure of the House resolution to end President Trump's military campaign in Iran highlights the deep partisan divide over the president's war powers and the lack of congressional oversight, even as public opinion and economic factors appear to be turning against the conflict.