In what might be one of the most unexpected alliances on Capitol Hill, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky) is teaming up with progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif) to stop what many fear could be Donald Trump’s next disastrous foreign policy adventure.
According to Axios, the duo is rolling out a War Powers Resolution that would require Trump to do his homework and get Congress on board before dragging the U.S. into the deepening Israel-Iran conflict. Imagine that—asking the president to follow the Constitution.
Who are Massie and Khanna?
Massie is the kind of Republican who refuses to fall in line with the Trump playbook. He’s libertarian, he’s independent, and frankly, he’s a headache for the MAGA crowd. This isn’t the first time he’s taken a stand against foreign intervention.
Whether it was voting against military aid packages or questioning the never-ending post-9/11 Authorizations for Use of Military Force, Massie’s been the odd man out in GOP war rooms for years.
Khanna, on the other hand, is a solid fixture in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. He’s no fan of military adventurism either, and he’s worked across the aisle before—yes, even with the likes of Rand Paul—to push for Congressional oversight of U.S. military action.
Now, Khanna and Massie are once again on the same page: war shouldn’t be waged just because the former president is feeling insecure on social media.
What’s in the new resolution?
The measure they’re introducing is no symbolic gesture. It’s a privileged War Powers Resolution, which means the House has to debate it—and fast. Within 15 days, lawmakers would need to take a real vote on whether the U.S. should be involved in the mess unraveling between Israel and Iran. Spoiler: that mess is getting bloodier by the day.
Senator Tim Kaine is already pushing a similar measure in the Senate, so the heat is on from both chambers. Khanna and Massie’s plan would block Trump from launching airstrikes or deploying troops unless Congress gives the thumbs-up. AOC, Rashida Tlaib, and other House progressives are already on board. It’s a rare moment of bipartisan sanity in a town that usually can’t agree on what day it is.
Why now—what’s going on in Iran?
If you haven’t been glued to the headlines, Israel has been going all-in on targeting Iranian military sites—most recently striking Natanz, a key nuclear facility. Iran, in turn, launched retaliatory strikes with drones and missiles.
Civilians are dying, the region is unraveling, and here in the U.S., Trump has one hand on Truth Social and another on a missile launcher.
After cutting his G7 appearance short (because, of course, he did), Trump warned Iranians to “get out of the way” or face retribution “like they’ve never seen.” He even ordered Tehran “evacuated.”
That’s not a movie tagline—it’s real foreign policy now. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have been put on high alert, and every Pentagon press briefing reads like a prelude to the next forever war.
Could Congress stop Trump?
That depends on whether lawmakers suddenly discover a spine. Under the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war. The 1973 War Powers Act backs that up. But let’s be honest: Congress hasn’t exactly been great at reining in presidents over the last two decades.
Even so, this resolution forces the issue. It makes every House member answer the question: do you want Trump to have unchecked power to start a war in the Middle East? It’s a roll call that could haunt them in November—especially since recent polling shows that only about 14% of Americans think going to war with Iran is a good idea.
If nothing else, this resolution reminds everyone that the president doesn’t get to play general just because he thinks war makes for good campaign optics. Massie and Khanna may come from opposite ends of the political spectrum. However, they agree on one crucial point: Congress, not the “wannabe orange king,” gets to decide if we send American troops into another endless conflict.
Whether this resolution passes or not, it drags the conversation back to where it belongs—out of the presidential war room and onto the House floor. And for once, that’s exactly where it should be.
Published: Jun 17, 2025 12:41 pm