Lawmakers intend to curtail the conflict by targeting the administration's request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, which includes $67 billion designated specifically for the war. Democrats plan to insert clauses into spending legislation barring the use of funds for operations against Iran and will advance additional war powers resolutions. Backed by public sentiment showing strong support for terminating the conflict, committee leaders also intend to subpoena officials and investigate military expenditures. Lawmakers have already issued preservation notices for relevant documents to both the State and Defense departments.
Key points
Lawmakers intend to use federal spending bills and veto threats to compel the administrat…: Lawmakers intend to use federal spending bills and veto threats to compel the administration to halt unauthorized hostilities.
Expanded committee oversight will focus on investigating military spending while consider…: Expanded committee oversight will focus on investigating military spending while considering potential impeachment efforts against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Public dissatisfaction over the war continues to fuel legislative momentum to restrict ex…: Public dissatisfaction over the war continues to fuel legislative momentum to restrict executive war powers across upcoming defense authorizations.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Trump acknowledged that unhappiness about the conflict contributed to his party's losses, but defends the war, both insisting that he has won it and saying it will continue.
Congress cannot unilaterally end the war, but can pressure the president to do so.
Here are some ways lawmakers in the new Congress - which is scheduled to be sworn in on January 3 - can push to end the fighting.
Also Read | Iran unveils underground 'missile city', warns US bases in Europe could face strikes if war resumes
MONEY TALKS, AS DO SHUTDOWNS
Under the US Constitution, Congress decides how federal funds should be spent. Trump has asked the House of Representatives and Senate to approve a huge increase in the defense budget - from about $950 billion to $1.5 trillion, plus an additional $67 billion for the war.
Democrats say they will not approve such a massive budget next year. But they also have proposed cutting off funding for the war even before the new Congress is seated, suggesting that anti-war Republicans or fiscal hawks concerned about the deficit…
Tensions between Jerusalem and London have escalated as Israeli officials push back against unilateral policies enacted under the UK's current Labour administration. Addressing visiting British opposition lawmakers, the foreign minister framed these diplomatic disputes as detrimental to Britain's own strategic interests while the region confronts sustained hostilities from Tehran. The engagement highlights Israel's efforts to maintain direct political alliances in London despite deepening friction with the governi…
Government officials decided to block Russian sports competitors because their presence could compromise international relations during the ongoing war of aggression. The policy covers all participants regardless of whether they compete under a neutral flag. This enforcement also integrates with tighter short-term labor regulations across the nation.
The mass email intimidation campaign triggered immediate institutional closures across the country, sending parents rushing to collect their children despite police finding no substantiated danger. Italian officials are now preparing formal protocols to halt unnecessary evacuations while facing domestic political pressure over cybersecurity preparedness. The coordinated incidents mirror similar disruptive attacks sent to public and private infrastructure throughout Europe.