Van Hollen: Iran War Is 'Exhibit A' of US Power Limits
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- Sen. Chris Van Hollen called the War Powers Act of 1973 "very damaged," accusing Trump of having "shredded its provisions" with Republican complicity and labeling the Iran conflict an "illegal war" continued in violation of a concurrent War Powers resolution passed by Congress.
- Van Hollen urged Congress to block the administration's roughly $70 billion supplemental war funding request, saying "not one penny" should be appropriated for the conflict because doing so would amount to retroactive consent.
- The Iran war has killed 18 U.S. service members, and Van Hollen contrasted it with the 2011 Libya intervention — which he called a "gray area" backed by the UN, NATO, and Arab League — whereas the Iran case is "plainly frivolous," he said.
- A recent Senate vote secured 40 Democrats to block U.S. weapons and bulldozers to Israel, up from roughly 17 votes during an 80-day Gaza aid blockade in March-April 2025, reflecting growing but still insufficient pressure on arms transfers, Van Hollen said.
- AIPAC is "the number one driver" of Congress's reluctance to restrain Israel, Van Hollen said, pointing to $30 million the group spent against Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race as evidence of its willingness to defeat candidates who oppose unconditional aid.
- Since the Gaza ceasefire took effect in October 2025, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, with Van Hollen saying more Senate colleagues are "finally waking up" to the cost of a "blank check" to Netanyahu's government.
- U.S. global primacy is waning as China rises, Van Hollen said, arguing that other countries must now take on more responsibility for collective defense rather than relying on unchallenged American leadership.
Why it matters: Van Hollen — a potential 2028 presidential contender — explicitly calls the Iran war "illegal," names AIPAC's $30 million Michigan spending as the chief obstacle to conditioning Israel aid, and frames the $70 billion supplemental as Congress's only remaining check. The combined argument ties three foreign-policy fronts into one accountability test for Democratic leadership heading into the next election cycle.
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