Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was only Republican to vote for a limit on Trump war powers in Iran

Austin Horn, Lexington Herald-Leader on Mar 4, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

An effort spearheaded by Sen. Rand Paul to limit President Donald Trump’s abilities to keep waging war against Iran without congressional approval failed Wednesday evening.

Paul was the only Republican who voted to advance the resolution he sponsored alongside Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. It failed 47-53.

“Americans want President Trump to lower prices, not drag us into unnecessary forever wars. Yet he has unilaterally launched strikes at Iran without congressional authorization,” Kaine said ahead of the vote.

Only one Senate Democrat, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against it.

The resolution would have directed the president to terminate U.S. armed forces’ involvement in hostilities against Iran unless Congress passes a declaration of war or specific authorization, forcing Congress to debate the matter.

Paul is a longtime anti-interventionist who has recently opposed both U.S. operations in the Middle East as well as aid to Ukraine as it has fended off a Russian invasion. Paul ally Rep. Thomas Massie was advocating for a similar resolution in the U.S. House Wednesday.

Kentucky’s other U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell, has been diametrically opposed to Paul both on Ukraine and Iran. McConnell made that clear in a floor speech on the matter Wednesday.

“As I’ve explained so many times over the years, the powers of the president for the use of military force — with or without prior Congressional approval — are well-established,” McConnell said. “Every single president during my time in the Senate has invoked these inherent authorities, from President Reagan’s strikes on Libya to President Biden’s strikes on the Houthis. President Trump’s use of force to end Iran’s war of terror is squarely within his inherent authorities as commander-in-chief.”

McConnell also said he agreed with the military action in Iran on its merits.

He argued that Russia’s preoccupation in Ukraine, which has benefited from American aid, was a factor in the U.S. military’s “freedom to maneuver” in Venezuela and the Middle East.

“If Russia was more unencumbered, it could have provided more material assistance to its partners in Venezuela and Iran,” McConnell said. “The price of peace in Ukraine matters, and we should be careful not to compel an outcome that allows Russia to reassert itself in regions of critical importance to the United States.”

McConnell, 84, is not running for reelection this year after more than 40 years in the U.S. Senate.

Paul has continually opposed increased American military action abroad on constitutional grounds, asserting that only Congress can declare war.

“The Constitution conferred the power to declare or initiate war to Congress for a reason, to make war less likely," Paul wrote on social media over the weekend when the U.S. and Israel began military action in the region. “(James) Madison wrote that ‘the Executive Branch is the branch most prone to war, therefore, the Constitution, with studied care, delegated the war power to the legislature.’ As with all war, my first and purest instinct is wish Americans soldiers safety and success in their mission. But my oath of office is to the Constitution, so with studied care, I must oppose another Presidential war,”

Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president can send troops into hostilities but must notify Congress within 48 hours and withdraw them after about 60 days unless Congress approves the action.

_____