The United States House of Representatives voted on Thursday to repeal the 2002 Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq, a move widely interpreted as a rebuke of President Donald Trump's threat of military action against Iran.
The resolution, passed by a vote of 227 to 186, seeks to limit the president's ability to engage in hostilities with Iran without congressional approval. The vote fell largely along party lines, with 219 Democrats and 8 Republicans supporting the measure, while 186 Republicans opposed it.
The 2002 AUMF has been a point of contention since the Trump administration cited it as legal justification for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January. The Pentagon had argued that the authorisation covered threats from Iran-backed militias in Iraq. However, critics maintained that the authorisation was never intended to cover Iran itself.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the vote as a "constitutional responsibility" to assert Congress's war powers. "The administration's actions endanger our servicemembers and escalate tensions," she said. "This resolution makes clear that the president cannot take this nation to war with Iran without the consent of Congress."
The White House has threatened to veto the measure, and it is unlikely to reach the two-thirds majority required to override an expected veto. However, the vote serves as a symbolic check on executive power and reflects growing unease among lawmakers over unilateral military action.
The vote marks the first time the House has voted to repeal an AUMF since the passage of the 2001 authorisation for Afghanistan. The Senate has yet to take up similar legislation, though a bipartisan group of senators have introduced a companion bill.
Analysts note that the resolution is unlikely to alter immediate military posture in the Gulf region, where the US has deployed additional forces in response to alleged Iranian threats. However, the vote signals a shift in congressional oversight of military engagements, particularly as the 2001 AUMF remains in effect for counter-terrorism operations.
International reactions were muted. European allies have consistently urged restraint in the region, while Iran's foreign ministry called the vote "a step in the right direction" but expressed scepticism about its practical impact.
For now, the geopolitical calculus in the Persian Gulf remains unchanged. Iran continues to enrich uranium beyond the limits of the 2015 nuclear deal, and the Trump administration has imposed stringent sanctions. The House vote, while significant in domestic terms, does not alter the legal framework for US operations against Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
The constitutional question of war powers remains unresolved. While the House has sent a clear message, the ultimate check on executive action lies with the Senate and the courts. The vote underscores a persistent tension in American governance: the balance between swift executive action and deliberative legislative oversight.
