Key facts
- Senior Democrats accused Republicans of surrendering constitutional war-making authority to President Donald Trump.
- Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen criticized Republican inaction on the war in Iran.
- A war powers resolution aimed at reining in Trump's actions in Iran failed in the Senate.
Senior Democrats have accused Republicans in the US Congress of becoming "gelatinous blobs" and "rubber stamps" for President Donald Trump's actions concerning Iran, effectively surrendering Congress's constitutional authority over declaring war. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen argued that the Republican-controlled Congress has ceded its power to the president. They urged their Republican colleagues to assert Congress's role as a separate branch of government with the power to declare war. A previous war powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump's actions in Iran failed in the Senate. The article also briefly mentions other unrelated developments, including disputes over a Hamas disarmament deal, President Trump's potential temporary withdrawal of Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general, a migrant crisis in Ceuta, Seattle's police chief resignation, an AI model hacking incident, and a wildfire evacuation involving George and Amal Clooney.