
Republicans give Trump a free pass on the war on Iran
Al Jazeera asks how the US president has been able to wage war on Iran without fresh approval from Congress – and why Republicans are still giving him a free pass as a crucial legal deadline looms. From Washington, Vanier explains that under the War Powers Resolution the president can deploy troops for just 60 days without authorisation; that clock runs out in one week. Support for the war is slipping, the president’s approval is “in the firing line”, Republican approval of Congress has tanked and the military is seeking an extra $200bn, even as voters feel the impact in higher living costs and petrol prices. Yet from the start of the war, most Republicans on Capitol Hill have backed him.
Published On 22 Apr 2026