The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a war powers resolution that would halt U.S. military action against Iran, defying President Donald Trump as a handful of Republicans joined Democrats in an effort to end the three-month-long conflict. Opposition to the war has intensified as the conflict persists and Trump struggles to negotiate a swift resolution.
This House resolution does not immediately cease military operations. It now moves to the Senate, where four Republican senators last month joined Democrats in advancing a similar measure to curb the U.S. campaign against Iran. The Senate has not yet held a final vote.
In an interview released Wednesday, Trump confirmed an earlier report that he had criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “crazy,” and stated he was “a little bit perturbed” that Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon was impeding peace talks with Iran.
The Trump administration is proceeding with an agreement to permanently drop tax claims against Trump, an extraordinary display of executive power that could help shield the president from further scrutiny of his finances and legal conduct, even as it cancels a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate the Republican president’s allies amidst intense political backlash.
Trump’s endorsements contributed to ending the political careers of two senators and a congressman deemed insufficiently loyal, but he failed to secure victory for Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa’s Republican primary, creating a Democratic opportunity to win a governorship.
The Latest: Israel, Lebanon Agree to Renew Fragile Ceasefire and Create Lebanese Security Zones
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish several “pilot” security zones within Lebanon, from which Hezbollah militants would be prohibited.
In a joint statement issued after a fourth round of U.S.-mediated talks at the State Department, both sides stated that the ceasefire “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives” from areas south of the Litani River. It was not immediately clear how these security zones would be established, but the agreement stipulates that the Lebanese army will assume full control of those areas.
“These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” the statement read. “All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.”
The latter refers to Iran, which supports Hezbollah and has insisted that Israeli attacks on Lebanon be halted as part of a tentative agreement with the U.S. to end the conflict with Iran. Hezbollah is not involved in the Israel-Lebanon talks.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Visits Venezuela
The president’s top military adviser, Gen. Dan Caine, visited Venezuela’s capital on Wednesday, his office announced in a press release.
“Gen. Caine participated in bilateral discussions with senior interim government leaders and U.S. Embassy leadership and staff, and visited the Embassy’s Marine Security Augmentation Unit,” the statement detailed. It also noted that this marked Caine’s first official visit to the country.
The visit occurs less than two weeks after the head of U.S. military operations in Latin America, Marine Gen. Francis Donovan, also visited Caracas as part of a rapid response exercise involving Marines and military aircraft.
Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, is currently on an official state trip to India.
House Approves War Powers Resolution to Halt Military Action Against Iran
The House approved a war powers resolution that would halt U.S. military action against Iran, defying the president as a handful of Republicans joined Democrats to end the three-month-long war that has reshaped politics domestically and internationally.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had attempted to prevent an outcome that would reveal mounting opposition to the war, abruptly shutting down floor action two weeks ago when the war powers resolution was on the verge of approval. However, discontent has only intensified as the conflict persists and Trump struggles to negotiate a swift resolution.
The roll call vote on Wednesday was 215-208, and cheers erupted in the House chamber.
“This reckless and costly war of choice needs to end today,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York stated earlier in the week.
Rubio Concludes Marathon Two-Day Capitol Hill Hearings
The Secretary of State faced a litany of questions over nearly a dozen hours of combined hearings regarding the Trump administration’s involvement in the war and bipartisan concerns over the status of the Iran conflict and negotiations.
It was the first time Rubio had to face lawmakers since the U.S. first launched strikes on Iran, and he spent significant portions of his testimony defending the rationale and execution of the military operation.
Rubio Faces Bipartisan Criticism for Waivers on Russian Oil Sanctions
Democrats and Republicans, across both sides of Capitol Hill, questioned Rubio extensively about the Trump administration’s decision to extend its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments, aimed at easing shortages caused by the Iran war.
“President Trump was right to impose those sanctions last fall, but the waivers provide Moscow with badly needed revenue, and, I think, make little difference to American consumers in the price of gas,” GOP Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas stated during a hearing.
Rubio defended the decision, stating these were short-term waivers and “will not be permanent.”
In April, the Treasury Department extended the so-called general license for Russian oil that had been loaded by March 11. These extensions have highlighted how the fallout from the Iran war has enhanced Moscow’s ability to profit from its energy exports, which had been restricted since the invasion of Ukraine.
Trump Suggests He Could ‘Be the Greatest’ Communist – If He Were Actually a Communist
The president instructed a reporter to read Trump’s own past statements on communism back to him, then scoffed at efforts in New York and other large, “blue” cities to expand social services.
“I’d be the greatest in the world. Nobody would be as good as me. I’d give away everything. I could be the greatest,” Trump said, commenting on what he would be like if he were to implement similar social giveaways.
“I would sell them: You’re going to get free rent. You’re going to get free houses. You’re going to get free food. You’re going to get free everything,” he stated. “But, eventually, that ends and it leads to death, destruction and squalor 100% of the time.”
Trump also remarked about New York’s democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, “I would be better than him” at expanding free services, but “I had to sell free enterprise.”
“Free enterprise is tougher to sell,” Trump added.
Trump on Fate of Anti-Weaponization Fund: ‘I Don’t Know’
In his first public comments since his Justice Department announced that a controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund would not proceed, the president equivocated.
“I’d have to ask the lawyers,” Trump said when directly questioned whether the settlement fund was defunct or merely on hold. “I don’t know.”
He spent much of his response to reporters defending the fund, which he described as a “beautiful thing.”
His comments came just after Senate Republicans voted to advance an immigration funding bill, which they did only after testimony from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the fund was defunct.
Trump Downplays US and Iranian Strikes Testing Fragile Ceasefire
“We’ve been hitting them pretty hard,” Trump said when asked by reporters on Wednesday if the ceasefire remains in place amidst reciprocal attacks by the two sides. He added, “It’s a different part of the world. You know, I’d say in that part of the world, a ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”
Trump also insisted that ongoing negotiations to extend the temporary ceasefire and initiate new nuclear talks with Tehran continue to progress.
He suggested that an agreement could potentially be reached “over the weekend.” Trump, however, has been predicting for weeks that the two sides are on the verge of reaching a deal.
Trump Signs Executive Order on Federal Workforce Reform
The president on Wednesday signed an order described as an attempt to simplify the process of firing or disciplining federal workers.
Introducing the order at an Oval Office event, White House staff secretary Will Scharf stated that existing personnel rules make it difficult to discipline or promote workers in policymaking roles. He said the goal is to enhance the accountability of the federal workforce.
James Sherk of the Domestic Policy Council added that it has been “almost impossible” to fire federal employees even in cases of serious misconduct.
“What this does is basically treat those employees like private sector workers who are hired on the basis of merit and competence,” Sherk explained. “But if they’re messing up, then they can be removed quickly.”
Trump Signs Executive Order Related to U.S.-Mexico Border
After hastily summoning reporters to the Oval Office, the president signed an executive action that will empower customs officials to more carefully track imports crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
His order aims to improve the tracking of goods imported into the U.S. for tariff purposes. Federal authorities stated it would also enable them to better hold importing firms accountable, which have long used shell companies to evade taxes.
Rubio: Adding Countries to Abraham Accords Would Be “Difficult at This Moment” Amid Iran War
Asked why it is important to increase normalization between Israel and Arab countries, Rubio outlined the benefits it would provide both sides, but offered a sober outlook on its unlikelihood given the ongoing hostilities in the region.
“We do want to expand the Abraham Accords obviously, but it’s difficult to do at this moment,” Rubio told senators Wednesday afternoon. “But we’re laying the groundwork for it. It’ll be a top priority of this administration.”
His testimony diverged from Trump’s recent comments, including last week, when the president stated that signing onto the Abraham Accords “should be mandatory” as part of a U.S.-Iran deal currently under negotiation.
The accords were a series of diplomatic and commercial agreements forged with U.S. influence between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco in 2020, during Trump’s first term.
Trump Addresses Press About Reflecting Pool
Shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday, reporters were suddenly summoned to the Oval Office.
The ostensible reason was to witness the president sign executive orders. However, Trump began the event by extolling the reflecting pool outside the Lincoln Memorial, which he had announced earlier would receive its final protective coating today.
“It’ll last for 50 to 100 years before you have to do anything, very strong, powerful substance that we used,” Trump told reporters. At one point, he held up a poster that read: “Our Pool is Bigger than Skyscrapers.”
After that opening, Trump transitioned to the main topic: a customs-related executive order.
Republicans Win Partisan Redistricting Battle
Since Trump urged Republicans to redraw U.S. House districts last year, officials in eight states have enacted new districts that could help Republicans win up to 16 additional seats in the November elections.
Democrats faced setbacks in their counterattacks. However, they could gain up to six additional seats from new districts in two states.
The aggressive mid-decade redistricting carries high stakes, as Democrats need to gain just a few seats in the midterms to win control of the House. It remains to be seen whether the redistricting will help Republicans maintain their slim majority.
US Reduces Forces Pledged to NATO in a Crisis
The U.S. military is reducing the number of forces it would contribute to NATO during an emergency, a change anticipated from the Trump administration as it pressures European allies to bear more of the continent’s defense burden.
U.S. European Command on Wednesday publicly announced changes to the NATO Force Model, a contingency plan for European defense in the event of serious security concerns, such as increased Russian aggression. The announcement lacked specifics but stated that allies could step up with planes and ships as the U.S. reserves more of its own forces to counter potential threats in other parts of the world.
U.S. and British officials stated that the change had already been announced in classified meetings with NATO allies in recent weeks.
Demonstrator Ejected as Rubio Kicks Off Fourth and Final Capitol Hill Hearing
As the Secretary of State entered his fourth and final congressional hearing, an 18-year-old demonstrator yelled that the Trump administration’s foreign policy actions were being taken “against the will of the American people” before being removed from the Senate hearing room.
She yelled, “Free Palestine,” as the door was closing.
It was the first interruption of the day but part of a series of protests against Rubio and the administration over the past two days, specifically targeting U.S. support for Israel and its impacts on war-torn Gaza.
Three UN Experts Accuse US of ‘Unlawful Coercion’ Against Cuba’s Sovereignty
Independent U.N. human rights investigators on Wednesday urged the Trump administration to immediately halt all threats against Cuba’s sovereignty and revoke sanctions “adopted contrary to international law.”
The experts stated that efforts to change Cuba’s “constitutional order” through threats and coercion “echo colonial-era practices.”
They noted that Trump’s declaration of a “Donroe Doctrine” in March, asserting U.S. predominance in the Western Hemisphere, has raised “significant alarm.” They also stated that his comments about the “honor of taking Cuba” reflect “a deeply concerning strategy of coercion” against the country.
The experts on democracy, the negative impact of sanctions, and counterterrorism also highlighted the longstanding U.S. embargo and recent fuel blockade of Cuba.
They called the recent U.S. indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro “a misuse of domestic judicial proceedings” and “an instrument of coercive foreign policy,” and the announced deployment of the USS Nimitz to the southern Caribbean another element of “unlawful coercion.”
Rubio Concludes Nearly 4-Hour Congressional Hearing
The Secretary of State has concluded nearly four hours of testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he received praise from Republicans and sparred with Democrats over the Iran war, President Donald Trump’s relationship with NATO, and U.S. aid to Africa.
The hearing before lawmakers on Capitol Hill was the third of four in two days for the former Republican senator from Florida. While the stated purpose of each hearing was to discuss the State Department’s budget, they often veered into discussions about the Trump administration’s dealings with countries worldwide.
Rubio Insists Any US-Iran Deal Will Be ‘Better’ Than Obama Agreement
Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns about the reported details of a deal between Tehran and Washington. On Wednesday, Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, questioned whether the deal was similar to the one former President Barack Obama made in 2015.
Rubio proceeded to outline the various issues under discussion and how they differ from the previous nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018.
“Ultimately, any deal we do will be a good deal, or there won’t be a deal, and it’ll be better than JCPOA,” Rubio said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
That agreement, which included Germany, France, and Britain, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections.
Rubio Says Trump Still Wants to Be Part of NATO, But Alliance Needs Significant Reform
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump administration has no intention of abandoning NATO but will not back down from demanding significant reforms.
Rubio informed lawmakers Wednesday that the president plans to attend the annual NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey next month, where he will present the U.S. case for changes and reiterate calls for allies to increase their defense spending. The summit is scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara.
“The president himself will be attending the next NATO meeting of heads of state where all of these points will be made clear. We’re still in NATO, but NATO needs significant changes, and the president has made that clear,” Rubio said.
Trump has been particularly irked by some NATO countries, primarily Spain, for denying the use of airbases for the war against Iran.
Senate GOP Officially Strips $1 Billion in White House Security Funding from Immigration Spending Bill
After weeks of discussions, the Senate has officially dropped a $1 billion proposal for White House security and Trump’s ballroom project.
The Senate is set to begin voting on legislation to fund immigration enforcement agencies on Wednesday afternoon, and the bill’s final text, released just hours before the vote, does not include the security funding.
Republicans had already indicated they would drop the security proposal following backlash from within their own caucus and criticism from Democrats.
Rubio Says Greenland is Part of Denmark ‘For Now’
Rubio made the “for now” statement when Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware questioned him about Trump’s calls for the U.S. to own the semiautonomous territory of Denmark to better defend the U.S.
Rubio stated that talks about the use of Greenland for collective defense are “in a good place,” though he declined to publicly discuss the details.
McBride had asked Rubio if he shares Trump’s belief that the U.S. needs to own land within NATO to defend it.
“The president’s view is that it’s a lot easier to defend it when you have control and complete control of it,” Rubio said. “We are obviously having conversations with both Denmark and Greenland. They are ongoing on a monthly basis now. I think we’ll have pretty good news.”
Abelardo de la Espriella Thanks Trump for Endorsement, Predicts Stronger US-Colombia Ties
Colombian lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, who advanced in the first round of Colombia’s presidential race, on Wednesday thanked Trump for endorsing his campaign, stating he predicts stronger bilateral ties if the conservative defeats progressive Iván Cepeda in the presidential runoff.
Writing on the Truth Social platform the previous day, Trump offered his “complete and total endorsement” for de la Espriella, calling him an “intelligent, strong, and tough leader” who will take on a “radical leftist Marxist” in the June 21 runoff election.
“With my head held high and my heart throbbing with patriotic gratitude, I receive your words and your steadfast support,” de la Espriella, known as “El Tigre” or “The Tiger,” wrote on the social platform X. “Thank you, Mr. President!”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
#IranWar #HouseResolution #TrumpAdministration #USPolitics #ForeignPolicy #NATO #MiddleEast #USMexicoBorder #FederalReform #AbrahamAccords
