Collins, Tillis signal shift on Trump war powers if Iran war hits 60-day mark
Two Senate Republicans who previously rejected Democratic-led efforts to curb President Trump’s ability to continue the military action against Iran without obtaining congressional approval signaled this week that their view on war powers could shift if the conflict stretches past the 60-day mark.
“It is very likely that I would vote not to authorize further hostilities,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said at the Semafor World Economy summit, adding that she “always wanted this operation to be brief but successful.”
“I have said from the very beginning that if the military hostilities in Iran continue to that 60th day, then I believe the War Powers Act is implemented, and the president would need congressional authorization to continue the war in Iran,” the centrist Republican said, according to Semafor.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is not running for reelection, similarly told NBC News in an exclusive interview that it would be “difficult” to get his support to continue the conflict beyond 60 days.
“What’s concerning me now is we’re coming up on the 45-day mark,” Tillis said. ” Sixty days is important with respect to the War Powers Resolution, and I’m not quite clear what the strategic objectives are.”
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a law designed to limit the president’s authority to wage war abroad without the consent of Congress. It requires the president to notify lawmakers within 48 hours of military action and bars armed forces from remaining for longer than 60 days.
That threshold is quickly approaching in the Middle East conflict , which began on Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israel strikes against Iranian leadership, military and nuclear targets.
House and Senate Democrats have forced several war powers votes since the start of the U.S. campaign in Iran, but Republicans have so far beat back attempts to constrain Trump’s authority, arguing such limits could undermine national security.
Senate Republicans blocked a fourth attempt in a largely party-line 47-52 vote on Wednesday, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) siding with Democrats to vote for the resolution and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) joining Republicans to oppose it.
The military operation has exposed a deepening rift among the GOP, with some lawmakers growing wary about how long it could last , as Trump offers conflicting messages on whether the U.S. has achieved its stated objectives.
“I will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly,” Trump said in a Las Vegas speech on Thursday, according to The Associated Press . “It should be ending pretty soon.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has been working with other Senate Republicans on a resolution to authorize military force against Iran beyond 60 days, believing Congress will need to step in to authorize the war if it wages on before agreeing to the president’s request to boost military funding.
Tillis told NBC News he was “not a no” on additional funding but would need to see the details.
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