U.S. Senate fails to override Trump veto on curbing Iran military action

The U.S. Senate failed to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a resolution meant to curb his ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval.

The Senate requires a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto, and Thursday’s 49-44 vote fell largely along party lines.

The legislation passed the House of Representatives in March and the Senate in February in response to Trump ordering the killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.

While the majority of Republicans opposed the legislation, multiple Republicans voted in favour of it, issuing a rare bipartisan rebuke of Trump’s actions.

Trump issued the veto on Wednesday calling the resolution “very insulting.”

The killing of Soleimani and the subsequent Iranian retaliation – firing rockets at a base housing U.S. soldiers in Iraq – sparked an international crisis, and concerns that the conflict could escalate into an all-out war.

After Iran’s retaliation did not cause any severe injuries to U.S. personnel, Trump declared victory and declined to retaliate against Tehran.