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U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) speaks to attendees during a town hall at the Norco College Amphitheater in Norco, California on March 23, 2025.
(Photo: Philip Cheung for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Pushing War Powers Resolution, Khanna Says Democrats Must Become 'Anti-War Party'
Rep. Ro Khanna of California said the American people are tired of "spending billions of dollars on these endless wars."
Jun 25, 2025
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Wednesday urged Congress take up the Iran-focused War Powers Resolution that he and a Republican colleague have introduced and said that Democrats should stake out a position as the "anti-war party."
Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) last week introduced a resolution to invoke the War Powers Act of 1973, which would require President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before taking military action, with the aim of heading off U.S. involvement in conflict between Iran and Israel.
Khanna has said that he and Massie structured the resolution as "privileged," which could allow it to quickly come to a House vote.
Khanna said at a Wednesday press conference, which featured members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should not de-privilege his War Powers Resolution.
"The reality is that if he de-privileges this War Powers Resolution, it's not just abdicating Congress's role on matters of Iran. It's actually abdicating Congress's role on any future war that a president could undertake," said Khanna. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has introduced a similar War Powers Resolution in the Senate.
A shaky cease-fire between Israel and Iran is currently in place, though it comes after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities this past weekend.
Conflict with Iran is extraordinarily unpopular with the American public. A YouGov poll conducted Sunday—hours after Trump announced the strikes on the three sites in Iran—found that 85% of American adults, including 92% of Democrats, did not want the U.S. to be at war with Iran.
"It is my view that the Democratic Party needs to clearly stand up against this war and take up the mantle again of being the anti-war party, the party that stands up against wars of choice, against these endless wars in the Middle East," said Khanna.
Khanna—who is expected to run for president in 2028—also said that the American people are tired of spending "billions of dollars on these endless wars," and that they would prefer leaders focus on jobs, childcare, and healthcare.
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Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Wednesday urged Congress take up the Iran-focused War Powers Resolution that he and a Republican colleague have introduced and said that Democrats should stake out a position as the "anti-war party."
Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) last week introduced a resolution to invoke the War Powers Act of 1973, which would require President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before taking military action, with the aim of heading off U.S. involvement in conflict between Iran and Israel.
Khanna has said that he and Massie structured the resolution as "privileged," which could allow it to quickly come to a House vote.
Khanna said at a Wednesday press conference, which featured members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should not de-privilege his War Powers Resolution.
"The reality is that if he de-privileges this War Powers Resolution, it's not just abdicating Congress's role on matters of Iran. It's actually abdicating Congress's role on any future war that a president could undertake," said Khanna. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has introduced a similar War Powers Resolution in the Senate.
A shaky cease-fire between Israel and Iran is currently in place, though it comes after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities this past weekend.
Conflict with Iran is extraordinarily unpopular with the American public. A YouGov poll conducted Sunday—hours after Trump announced the strikes on the three sites in Iran—found that 85% of American adults, including 92% of Democrats, did not want the U.S. to be at war with Iran.
"It is my view that the Democratic Party needs to clearly stand up against this war and take up the mantle again of being the anti-war party, the party that stands up against wars of choice, against these endless wars in the Middle East," said Khanna.
Khanna—who is expected to run for president in 2028—also said that the American people are tired of spending "billions of dollars on these endless wars," and that they would prefer leaders focus on jobs, childcare, and healthcare.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Wednesday urged Congress take up the Iran-focused War Powers Resolution that he and a Republican colleague have introduced and said that Democrats should stake out a position as the "anti-war party."
Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) last week introduced a resolution to invoke the War Powers Act of 1973, which would require President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before taking military action, with the aim of heading off U.S. involvement in conflict between Iran and Israel.
Khanna has said that he and Massie structured the resolution as "privileged," which could allow it to quickly come to a House vote.
Khanna said at a Wednesday press conference, which featured members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should not de-privilege his War Powers Resolution.
"The reality is that if he de-privileges this War Powers Resolution, it's not just abdicating Congress's role on matters of Iran. It's actually abdicating Congress's role on any future war that a president could undertake," said Khanna. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has introduced a similar War Powers Resolution in the Senate.
A shaky cease-fire between Israel and Iran is currently in place, though it comes after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities this past weekend.
Conflict with Iran is extraordinarily unpopular with the American public. A YouGov poll conducted Sunday—hours after Trump announced the strikes on the three sites in Iran—found that 85% of American adults, including 92% of Democrats, did not want the U.S. to be at war with Iran.
"It is my view that the Democratic Party needs to clearly stand up against this war and take up the mantle again of being the anti-war party, the party that stands up against wars of choice, against these endless wars in the Middle East," said Khanna.
Khanna—who is expected to run for president in 2028—also said that the American people are tired of spending "billions of dollars on these endless wars," and that they would prefer leaders focus on jobs, childcare, and healthcare.
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