WASHINGTON — The US House of Representatives narrowly defeated a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the Iran war until hostilities are authorized by Congress, but the effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s military campaign failed by the closest possible margin.

The House voted 212 to 212 on the war powers resolution, meaning it failed because it needed a majority to pass, despite more Republicans backing the effort.

Three of Mr.Trump’s fellow Republicans – Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky – backed the resolution, and one Democrat – Jared Golden of Maine – opposed it.

It was the third House vote this year on an Iran war powers resolution, and the first since the conflict hit a 60-day deadline on May 1 for Mr. Trump to come to Congress about the war. Mr. Trump declared then that a ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities against Iran.

There also have been seven failed votes in the Senate.

The votes have been getting tighter, with Mr. Trump’s fellow Republicans holding just a slim majority in both chambers. The last House war powers resolution failed on April 16 by 213-214, with one member voting “present.”

In that vote, just one Republican supported the resolution.

They also have been getting more narrow in the Senate, where a war powers resolution was blocked by 50-49 on Wednesday as three Republicans joined every Democrat except one in voting to advance the measure.

DEMOCRATS CITE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY
Democrats have called ​on Mr. Trump to ⁠come to Congress for authorization to use military force in the Iran conflict, noting that the US Constitution says only the legislature, not the president, can declare war.

They warned that Mr. Trump may have pulled the country into a long conflict without setting ⁠out a ​clear strategy and railed against higher prices for gasoline, food and other products since the joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28.