Democrats Face Decision on Using Budget Leverage to End Iran War Before New Congress
Democratic leaders have not committed to using must-pass spending bills or defense authorization as leverage to cut off funding for the Trump administration's Iran conflict, despite months of anti-war rhetoric and successful war powers votes.
What happened
According to The Intercept, Democrats and a handful of Republicans passed a war powers resolution in both chambers limiting the president's ability to wage war without congressional approval, but the Trump administration has ignored it, arguing the law is unconstitutional. Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have not indicated whether they will risk a government shutdown by attaching a rider to the December 11 continuing resolution to prohibit funding for the war. Similarly, they have not committed to blocking the National Defense Authorization Act—the annual Pentagon budget bill—unless it includes restrictions on the conflict. Some Democratic candidates have pushed harder on the funding issue than party leadership.
Context
Democrats have used war powers votes to build political support and may take control of one or both chambers of Congress in January, which would give them vastly expanded powers over military spending and oversight. Multiple anti-war advocates and some Democratic legislators believe cutting off spending is the most effective path to forcing the Trump administration to negotiate, but that approach requires either risking a government shutdown during the lame-duck Congress or blocking major defense legislation—steps party leadership has not endorsed. The timing creates tension between Democrats' campaign messaging against the war and their willingness to employ the most consequential legislative tools available before January.
What's disputed
Whether Democrats will actually pursue the highest-leverage options (government shutdown or blocking the defense bill) remains unclear. Rep. Adam Smith stated he is open to using appropriations or defense bills to end the war but expressed doubt about obtaining sufficient Republican support or overriding an inevitable presidential veto.