As Iran War Reaches 60-Day Mark, Republicans in Congress Grow Impatient With Trump

Key Points:

• Key Republicans in Congress are growing increasingly impatient with the ongoing and costly Middle East conflict as it reaches 60 days, shifting from deferring to President Trump to adopting a more skeptical stance.
• Despite continued Republican support for the operation, there is rising pressure within the GOP-led Congress to debate the war and push the administration to define conditions and a timeline for withdrawal.
• The war's unpopularity, coupled with rising gas prices and consumer costs, poses political risks for Republicans ahead of midterm elections, with Democrats criticizing GOP backing as neglecting American interests.
• The statutory 60-day deadline for presidential authorization of the war passed without President Trump seeking Congress's approval, sparking concern among lawmakers about escalating costs and legal authority.
• Some Republicans, including Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, have shifted positions to demand more oversight and potential constraints on the war, challenging claims that the cease-fire with Iran exempts the president from War Powers Resolution requirements.