The United States House of Representatives has passed a war powers resolution to halt unauthorised military action against Iran, delivering a rare bipartisan rebuke to President Donald Trump. The measure passed 215 to 208 on Wednesday, with four Republicans — Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio, and Tom Barrett of Michigan — breaking from their party to vote alongside a unanimous Democratic caucus. Cheers erupted on the House floor as the result was announced.

The vote marks the fourth time this year the House has attempted such a resolution, and the first time it has succeeded. The previous attempt was blocked two weeks ago when House Speaker Mike Johnson, a close Trump ally, abruptly adjourned the chamber before the vote could take place — a move widely interpreted as an effort to shield the president from an embarrassing defeat. The conflict began on 28 February, when Trump joined Israel in launching military strikes against Iran without seeking congressional approval. Trump has described the ongoing war, now approaching its 100th day, variously as a "skirmish" or a "short-term excursion." The White House has argued that a temporary ceasefire declared on 8 April — though broken several times by all parties — resets the clock on the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires a president to obtain congressional authorisation if hostilities extend beyond 90 days.

Supporters of the resolution argued that the constitutional principle at stake is clear. "Congress has the exclusive authority under the Constitution to declare war and authorise the use of force," said Tom Barrett, an army veteran whose Michigan House seat faces a competitive race in November's midterm elections. Thomas Massie, who will not return to Congress after losing his Republican primary to a Trump-backed challenger, wrote on social media: "The People's House is sending a message: end this war." Democrats framed the vote in both constitutional and economic terms. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called the conflict a "reckless and costly war of choice," while Representative Shontel Brown of Ohio noted that the Pentagon has estimated $29 billion spent so far — with one Harvard public finance expert projecting eventual costs could exceed $1 trillion. Munitions stockpiles, including Tomahawk missiles and THAAD air defence systems, have also been drawn down faster than replacements can be produced, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The human and economic toll of the conflict has fed growing public discontent. A poll from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion found 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the war, up from 54 percent in March. Even among Republicans, disapproval has climbed from 15 to 22 percent over the same period. The war has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly one fifth of the world's oil supplies typically flow — driving up fuel prices and the cost of agricultural inputs. Iran has closed the strait, while the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian vessels. More than 3,400 people have been killed in Iran during the conflict, and at least 13 US soldiers have died.

The resolution now proceeds to the Senate, which passed a similar measure last month with support from a handful of Republican defectors. However, the path to becoming law remains steep. A White House official dismissed the resolution as "unconstitutional" and said it would have "no force or effect," adding that Trump would continue to "protect national security using his constitutional authority" as commander-in-chief. Overriding a presidential veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers — a threshold neither version has yet approached. Despite its largely symbolic weight, the vote signals a growing willingness among some Republicans to defy a president who has aggressively punished dissenters within his own party, and it increases domestic pressure on the administration as ceasefire negotiations with Iran remain unresolved.