President Donald Trump has suggested that the House vote to limit his war powers on Iran is “unpatriotic,” saying the Democrats and Republicans who supported the measure are undermining the United States at a critical moment in the conflict.
The House approved a resolution in a 215-to-208 vote on Wednesday to block Trump from continuing the three-month-old conflict.
Four Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the war powers resolution, which directs Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force.
Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) sided with Democrats in Wednesday's vote. Trump said those House Republicans should be "ashamed" for supporting the measure.
“Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. They know where the negotiations stand," the president added.
No Democrats voted against it, while seven House members did not vote.
Democrats contend that Trump bypassed Congress in authorizing military action against Iran, arguing that only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war.
"The passage of this WPR today signals a significant turning point: more and more Republicans are listening to their constituents who do not want another open-ended war in the Middle East," Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), who sponsored the war powers resolution and serves as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement after the vote.
Meanwhile, most Republicans have dismissed the war powers resolutions as partisan political theater intended to weaken U.S. policy and target Trump. The Trump administration has argued that the war is necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The conflict began Feb. 28 after a major escalation between Iran and Israel, with both sides exchanging missile and drone attacks, disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and drawing in U.S. military involvement.
Wednesday's vote is considered primarily symbolic, given that the resolution must also secure Senate approval. Last month, four Republican senators joined Democrats in advancing a similar measure to curtail the U.S. campaign against Iran. The upper chamber has not yet taken a final vote on that resolution.