ToplineThe House voted Thursday to block President Donald Trump from continuing the war with Iran without congressional approval—as Trump’s base increasingly opposes the war amid a rising death toll among U.S. service members and a potentially prolonged conflict. President Donald Trump speaks at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, on July 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsThe House voted 214-208, with four Republicans—Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Tom Barrett, R-Mich., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.—supporting the measure. The House has voted on a war powers resolution five times, and this is the second time it’s approved the measure. The measure is largely symbolic—it’s not legally binding and wouldn’t go to Trump’s desk for a signature. The vote comes as the war intersects with the midterm elections and growing discontent among Republican voters—a Politico poll released Wednesday found a 13-percentage-point drop in the share of MAGA voters who say the war is worth its economic costs, compared to May.The vote also comes as the Pentagon, facing a budget shortfall after spending $37.5 billion on the Iran war, is seeking an immediate $67 billion in funding from Congress to help pay for operations in the Middle East.TangentTrump insisted Wednesday “Americans aren’t against the war,” he told reporters. “Americans don’t want high gasoline prices, but they’re not against the war. That just came out loud and clear in a poll.” It’s unclear what poll Trump was referring to. What To Watch ForThe Senate is expected to vote later Thursday on a similar measure to limit Trump’s war powers. Key BackgroundTrump has escalated attacks against Iran over the past two weeks as Iran has refused to cede control over the Strait of Hormuz, a condition of the memorandum of understanding to end the conflict the two sides signed in June. That agreement has largely unraveled and Trump has declared the cease-fire to be over. Iran has responded to U.S. attacks by attacking U.S. troops stationed throughout the region—killing three service members in Jordan and one in Iraq on Friday and Saturday, respectively, bringing the total death toll to 18. There are indications the administration is preparing for a prolonged conflict that could intersect with midterms, when Republicans are vulnerable to losing their grips on the House and Senate. In addition to seeking more urgent funding, the Pentagon has reportedly deployed additional weaponry, troops and military aircraft to the Middle East over the past week. The conflict has also expanded geographically as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have begun to attack Saudi ships in the Red Sea in recent days, prompting Trump to threaten retaliation on Thursday.further readingHouthis Attacked Saudi Arabian Ships, Trump Says (Forbes)Trump Says U.S. Will Bomb Key Infrastructure ‘Any Time’ Iran Shoots At Ships In Strait Of Hormuz (Forbes)What Is Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain? Trump Threatens Bombing There ‘Pretty Soon’ (Forbes)