Trump Blames Senate Vote for Undermining His Iran Pressure Campaign

The U.S. Senate approved a resolution calling for the withdrawal of American forces from the area around Iran, with four Republican senators joining Democrats in support. The vote came as President Donald Trump was pressing a hard line against Tehran.

Trump reacted angrily, saying the timing undercut his effort to force Iran into submission. “I have Iran on the brink of surrender, ready to fall, and then the Senate decides to hold a meaningless vote at a bad time,” he said, arguing that the move sent Tehran a message that “the United States is not happy with what I am doing.” He added, “They gave aid and encouragement to the enemy.”

Trump also singled out the defecting Republicans, calling them “four failed Republicans” who sided with Democrats. He said Iranian officials asked his team what the vote meant, and insisted the senators had made his job harder, though “I will finish it one way or another.”