On Thursday, July 24, 2026, U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), a former combat veteran, choked up on the Senate floor as he pointed to a bracelet honoring a fallen friend who was "cut in half" by an Iranian bomb. Sheehy used the moment to oppose the Democratic-led Iran War Powers Resolution, which sought to require congressional authorization for continued U.S. military involvement against Iran.

Sheehy argued that while Democrats correctly label the conflict a "war of choice," the decision was made decades ago by Iran’s regime, not by President Donald Trump. He recounted decades of Iranian-backed attacks on Americans, including the 1983 Marine barracks bombing, the USS Cole attack, the Achille Lauro hijacking, and actions by terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

The Montana Republican emphasized that the regime in Iran does not consider U.S. partisan politics, stating, "And forever wars are not popular with anybody these days. Both sides of [the aisle] love to attack our forever wars. And I can promise you, being someone overseas wearing the uniform, when you’re fighting for your country, you don’t care what party’s in office."

Sheehy concluded with a vow: "We didn’t start this war, we did not. But, we will finish it."

The Senate ultimately rejected the effort to advance the Iran War Powers Resolution in a close 47-49 vote. Sheehy’s remarks turned the debate into an emotional warning about the costs of failing to confront Tehran.

An armed member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was seen monitoring mourners at the funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family in Tehran on July 6, 2026, highlighting ongoing tensions.

Sources