Democrats target Iran war funding

Senate and House Democrats are moving to cut off funding for the war in Iran as they prepare to take control of both chambers of Congress in January. The push comes after midterm elections shifted power to the party, allowing them to challenge President Trump’s military strategy. Both Trump and Vice President Vance cited the conflict as a reason for the Republican electoral losses.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Democrats intend to use their control of spending to stop the war. He noted that the power of the purse was designed by the Founding Fathers to check a president who engages in war without popular consent. Schumer claimed that several Republican senators have already agreed to join the effort to end the hostilities.

Four Republican senators, Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul, have previously supported a resolution to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran without formal congressional authorization. This bipartisan alignment gives the Democrats a potential path to pass legislation before the chamber leadership changes. The current stalemate in funding provides a specific mechanism for these lawmakers to act.

The conflict has cost at least $47 billion and pushed energy prices higher. The White House requested $87.6 billion in supplemental funding in June, including $67 billion for the Pentagon. That package has stalled in Congress. Lawmakers must fund the government by December 11 to avoid a shutdown, a deadline that falls less than a month before the new congressional session begins.

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York plans to introduce a joint resolution to end the war on the first day of the new Congress. He said Democrats will use hearings and legislation to push for a diplomatic solution. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who will become Speaker in January, told colleagues in a letter that stopping the war is a top priority for the caucus.

Some Democrats want to bar Iran war funding from any immediate stopgap spending deal. Rep. Ro Khanna of California argued that the war should end now, similar to how the Vietnam War concluded. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote that the conflict must end immediately rather than waiting for the next Congress. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona suggested cutting funding for White House operations to force the administration’s hand, a proposal supported by Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

Rep. Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, who is expected to chair the New Democrat Coalition, said the funding process is the party’s strongest leverage. She also wants the Pentagon to testify about what victory looks like in the conflict. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, a senior House Republican, said there are many questions about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the strategy in Iran. Democrats are urging Republicans to support a bill from Rep. Pat Ryan that would block additional war spending without congressional approval.