Iran War Limits.
On a tour through Asia last fall, President Trump took a moment on the world stage to celebrate a legislative victory at home: After months of iron-fisted pressure, he had compelled Republicans to pass legislation that cut taxes and slashed into the country’s social safety net.
“I said, ‘Put it all into one bill, and if we get it done, we’re done for four years,’” Mr. Trump said during an October speech in Tokyo. “We don’t need anything more from Congress in terms of that.”
Ever since, Mr. Trump has been intent on testing that theory, daring lawmakers to defy him and doing his best to vanquish them from office if they do. But after a retributive romp through primary season, Mr. Trump’s style of governing — unilateral, and often impatient — has collided with restive Republicans who seem to be exacting some political vengeance of their own.
On Wednesday evening, four House Republicans sided with Democrats to demand Mr. Trump withdraw U.S. forces from the conflict with Iran or win approval from Congress, rebuking a president who has repeatedly said he does not need congressional authorization to continue the conflict. Katie Rogers, ‘NY Times’
The American public is increasingly unhappy about the high prices at the pump, and that discontent is generating notable anxiety and frustration in Washington, where the war in Iran is widely blamed for the problem. The conflict seems stuck in a stalemate, with neither side willing to yield and Iran maintaining control of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The scramble to bring down oil prices has become a frantic race against time ahead of the November elections, with control of Congress hanging in the balance.
