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How Democrats Can Stop the Iran War Now
The article argues that Democrats who won the 2026 midterm elections on opposition to the Iran war could try to end it by using Congress’s power over military spending. It says the political stakes are high: voters broadly oppose the war, and its military and economic costs have become liabilities for Republicans.
The piece compares the moment with Democrats’ response to the Iraq War after the 2006 midterms, warning that party leaders may resist cutting funds despite criticism of the president’s conduct. It notes that the Iran war began without majority public support or congressional authorisation, and that the Trump administration initially sought $200 billion for it before folding the costs into the wider military budget. Representative Ro Khanna has urged Congress to withhold funding, while the article says Democrats now hold at least a seven-seat House majority.
In short
- Democrats could use military funding to pressure Trump to end the Iran war.
- Exit polls found 62% of voters saw the war as a mistake.
- The article warns party leaders may resist a funding cutoff.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Democrats could argue that using Congress’s control of military spending is a direct way to check a war begun without congressional authorisation, especially after voters elected them on opposition to it. Withholding funds could limit further military and economic costs and give the administration a strong incentive to seek an end to the conflict.
The case against
Democratic leaders could argue that cutting funds risks disrupting military operations and putting service members in danger while the war is ongoing. They may prefer to use oversight, authorisation requirements or diplomacy to press for a change in policy, while avoiding a funding fight that could be blamed for adverse consequences or fail to secure a durable end to the war.
Explained simply
The US Constitution gives Congress control over federal spending, including money for the armed forces. Presidents direct military operations, but Congress can pass laws restricting or withholding funds; lawmakers may also debate whether a war has been authorised.
Democrats and Republicans are the two main US political parties, and the House of Representatives is one of Congress’s two chambers. Ro Khanna is a Democratic member of the House who has called for withholding money for the Iran war.
The debate echoes arguments over the Iraq War after Democrats won control of Congress in 2006. Decisions about military funding can shape how long a conflict continues, while its human and financial costs can affect public opinion and elections.
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