Senate Approves Plan to Pull U.S. Troops from Iran Combat Zones

The Senate voted Tuesday to approve a House-passed resolution directing President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran. The measure passed the Senate in a 50-48 vote after receiving final approval on the chamber’s floor, though it does not require Trump’s signature as it is a concurrent resolution and lacks legal force.

The resolution directs Trump under the 1973 War Powers Act to remove U.S. troops from Iran-related hostilities while exempting forces necessary to protect American assets or allies from imminent attack. Four Republican senators—Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—supported the resolution. The same four GOP senators had previously backed a similar committee bill that failed to advance due to Democratic attendance concerns.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, condemned the resolution’s implications, stating the proposed agreement “negotiates away the victories of Operation Epic Fury” and criticized a potential $300 billion Iranian reconstruction fund as disproportionately small compared to past nuclear deals. Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, expressed concerns about lifting temporary sanctions on Iranian oil without conditions tied to Tehran’s behavior.

The vote follows growing congressional unease over a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that has extended negotiation timelines for a longer-term peace deal, with some Republicans drawing parallels to former President Obama’s nuclear agreement. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) warned the resolution would “end negotiations” by signaling Iran could abandon talks entirely.

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