US President Donald Trump on Thursday sharply criticised a vote in the House of Representatives that seeks to compel the withdrawal of American troops from the war with Iran, arguing that the move undermined ongoing negotiations with Tehran and describing it as “unpatriotic”.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the largely symbolic measure was introduced “right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He questioned the timing of the vote, adding: “Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. They know where the negotiations stand.”
The measure passed the Republican-controlled House on Wednesday by a 215-208 vote, with four Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in support. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.
The vote marked the first time since the conflict began three months ago that the House, despite being controlled by Republicans, approved a measure aimed at forcing Trump to scale back US military operations against Tehran. However, the legislation is expected to ultimately face a presidential veto.
Democrats have accused Trump of violating the US Constitution by launching military strikes against Iran alongside Israel in late February without first obtaining congressional authorisation.
They argue that the president is also in breach of the War Powers Act, which requires presidents to secure congressional approval within 60 days of committing US forces to hostilities. According to Democrats, that deadline expired several weeks ago.
Responding to the criticism, Trump accused Democrats of putting political interests ahead of national interests. “(Democrats) would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories,” he said.
Trump also singled out the four Republicans who voted in favour of the measure, dismissing them as “grandstanders” and saying they “should be ashamed of themselves.”