Diyar Güldoğan
08 April 2026•Update: 08 April 2026
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that the upper chamber will vote next week on an Iran war powers resolution.
"Congress must reassert its authority, especially at this dangerous moment ... Republicans will once again have the opportunity to join Democrats and end this reckless war of choice," Schumer told reporters in New York City.
His remarks came a day after the US and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire, pausing the war that unsettled the Gulf and global markets, and raised fears about the security of regional energy infrastructure and shipping lanes.
Schumer criticized President Donald Trump, arguing that his decisions emboldened Iran strategically. He pointed specifically to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint.
"Iran has now demonstrated to the whole world that it can use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the international community … Trump handed to the Iranians leverage over the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
In a broader critique, Schumer argued the conflict has weakened the US across multiple fronts.
"This war has made us worse off today than before it started. The war made us worse in terms of control of the Strait of Hormuz. The war made us worse in terms of the strength of the Iranian regime. The war made us worse in terms of high gas prices. The war made us worse because Iran's nuclear ambitions have been unchecked, and the war made us worse because American credibility is down the drain."
Regional tensions have soared since the US and Israel launched an offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,400 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It also restricted the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies.
