Fetterman again breaks with Democrats, vows to oppose Iran war powers vote

Sen. John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Democrat, said Wednesday he will once again vote against a Democratic effort to curtail President Trump’s war powers in Iran — calling Iran itself a decades-long affront to global stability and pushing back on party calls to remove the president from office.

“If you want to talk about a war crime, Iran is a 47-year-old war crime, what they continue to behave,” Mr. Fetterman said on Fox News’ “Hannity.”

The Pennsylvania Democrat said he will oppose an upcoming Senate war powers resolution that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, announced earlier Wednesday. Mr. Schumer said the upper chamber will vote on the measure next week to reassert Congress’ authority over the conflict.

“We have to stand with our military to allow them to accomplish the goals of Epic Fury,” Mr. Fetterman told host Sean Hannity, referring to the U.S. operation in Iran.

It is not Mr. Fetterman’s first break with his party on the issue. He was the lone Democrat to vote against three separate war powers resolutions last month — measures led by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine, Cory Booker and Chris Murphy — each of which failed 53-47. Sen. Rand Paul was the lone Republican to support those measures.

Mr. Fetterman, a staunch backer of Israel, has argued that military action is the only path to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“Every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” he wrote on X earlier this month. “I’m baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that.”

Mr. Fetterman also pushed back Wednesday on Democratic calls to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove the president from office — calls that had erupted earlier this week after Mr. Trump issued an ultimatum threatening to destroy Iranian civilization if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened. More than 85 House Democrats backed impeachment or removal via the 25th Amendment, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Pelosi. Mr. Fetterman was unmoved.

“I’m old enough to remember we used to root for our military, and we would all agree that Iran is the world’s leading terrorism underwriter,” he said.

His stance puts him squarely at odds with top Senate Democrats, who have declared Mr. Trump’s Operation Epic Fury a failure. Mr. Schumer, at a Wednesday press conference in New York City, argued the war was “one of the very worst military and foreign policy actions that the United States has ever taken.” In a separate post on X, the minority leader called the president a “military moron.”

“This war has made us worse off today than before it started,” Mr. Schumer said at the press conference, citing rising gas prices, Iran’s continued nuclear stockpile, and declining American credibility abroad.

The war powers push comes amid a fragile two-week ceasefire the Trump administration struck with Iran on Tuesday. Iranian officials have accused Israel of violating the pause by continuing strikes on Lebanon. Negotiations toward a fuller settlement are expected this weekend, with Vice President J.D. Vance leading the U.S. delegation.

In the House, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, said his caucus will attempt Thursday to pass a war powers resolution by unanimous consent during a pro forma session. The chamber previously voted down a similar measure largely along party lines. Republicans are expected to block Thursday’s attempt as well.

Mr. Schumer acknowledged the likely outcome of next week’s Senate vote. “Republicans will once again have the opportunity to join Democrats and end this reckless war of choice,” he said.

Mr. Fetterman, for his part, showed no sign of wavering.

“Every single thing Iran has done is an entire war crime,” he said. “Now, we are the force of good in the world.”