Reps. Massie, Khanna to Force Vote on Requiring Congressional Approval for Iran Strikes

WASHINGTON—Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are planning to introduce a resolution to require President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before ordering U.S. military action against Iran.

The Trump administration has repeatedly threatened military action if Iran doesn’t accept a new deal to curb its nuclear development. Since January, Trump said he has directed two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East, bolstering the U.S. capacity for military action in the region.

“Trump officials say there’s a 90 percent chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna wrote in a Feb. 18 X post. “[Massie] & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting U.S. troops in harm’s way. I will make a motion to discharge to force a vote on it next week.”

Under the 1973 War Powers Act, lawmakers may assert privileged motions to avoid procedural hurdles and force a floor vote on matters of military action.

“[Khanna] and I will be forcing that vote to happen in the House as soon as possible,” Massie wrote in his own X post on Feb. 18. “I will vote to put America first which means voting against more war in the Middle East.”

Trump could decide on military action against Iran within the next two weeks.

Speaking at the first meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, Trump noted the U.S. strikes that targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities last June.

“Now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re gonna make a deal,” the president said. “You’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days.”

Iranian officials have threatened to return fire if Iran again comes under attack. Such Iranian retaliation could ensnare Middle Eastern countries hosting U.S. military bases.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday said U.S. and Iranian negotiators made some progress during a round of talks in Geneva this week, but “we’re still very far apart on some issues.”

In recent months, lawmakers in the House and Senate have put forth several resolutions to prevent Trump from unilaterally ordering military action abroad. Several of these resolutions aimed to curtail lethal U.S. strikes on drug boats operating in the waters around Latin America, as well as U.S. military operations in Venezuela.

A war powers resolution concerning Venezuela failed in the House last month on a 215–215 tie vote. The resolution specifically called for the removal of U.S. forces from Venezuela “unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization for use of military force.”

Massie is among a small number of Republicans who have voted with Democrats on recent measures to constrain Trump’s authority on military actions. The Republican from Kentucky has already broken ranks on several of the president’s policies.

Trump has backed U.S. Navy SEAL veteran Ed Gallrein, a Republican primary challenge to unseat Massie in the 2026 midterm election cycle.