Republicans unwilling to force an end to Iran war despite midterm beating

Republicans know the Iran war sparked their losses of the House and Senate majorities, but even the staunchest GOP critics remain averse to forcing an end to the conflict, now in its ninth month.

A government funding brawl to avoid a December shutdown awaits, and Republicans are digging in against Democratic demands to defund the war over fears it would jeopardize U.S. personnel and national security without a more coordinated withdrawal.

“What we don’t want to do is be irresponsible and walk away, even if we have a disagreement with the current posture in Iran,” said retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who voted with Democrats and other Republicans in September on a failed Iran war powers resolution directing President Donald Trump to end hostilities. “If the Democrats are doing that blindly, shame on them. That’s pure politics at the expense of service member safety.”

The Senate will vote next week on yet another war powers resolution, the first one since Democrats trounced Republicans in the midterm elections, offering the latest test of how many in the GOP are willing to buck Trump on a war that fueled voters’ affordability concerns. In addition to Tillis, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Rand Paul (R-KY) have supported at least one prior resolution.

Republican leaders on both sides of the Capitol are steadfastly opposed to defunding the war as part of any budget agreement and warn it could hinder bipartisan negotiations to avoid a Dec. 11 shutdown. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), poised to become speaker in 2027, would not rule out forcing a shutdown to see an end to the war.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) responds to a reporter’s question on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) declined to express confidence in War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ability to carry out his job amid efforts to impeach him over the war. He noted Hegseth’s tenure is “up to the president.” But Thune condemned the notion of Congress forcing Trump’s hands by pulling the purse strings.

“Getting a deal under those circumstances would be pretty complicated,” Thune said. “I’m hoping that there’s a willingness on both sides to fund the government.”

JEFFRIES REFUSES TO RULE OUT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OVER IRAN WAR

Republicans are ultimately signaling that, absent a major change in course by the Trump administration, people should expect more of the same for the foreseeable future, despite those such as Tillis advocating to “hold them accountable” in vague terms that do not entail using Congress’s authority.

“I think we’ve achieved our objectives in Iran,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), citing continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz as a remaining sticking point. “I don’t have the classified information that the president has, but you don’t have to be a senior at Caltech to know he’s got three choices: come home, maintain the status quo, or escalate. It sounds to me like he’s maintaining the status quo, and the status quo is gutting Iran like a fish.”

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