Democrats projected to win House as voters rebuke Trump’s Iran war

WASHINGTON — House Democrats looked set to reclaim their majority in the House of Representatives after a midterm election in which some Republicans struggled to distance themselves from President Donald Trump's war in Iran. 

Republicans will cede their narrow four-seat majority in the lower chamber, CNN and NBC projected on Tuesday night. Democrats are also poised to win the Senate, ushering in a divided government that will constrain Trump’s legislative agenda during his final two years in office.

The midterm elections came more than eight months after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran that Trump initially said would be over in a matter of weeks. In the next Congress, Democrats are likely to challenge Trump’s claim that he can wage war on Iran without congressional approval.

The House has voted repeatedly to pass war powers resolutions that would limit ongoing military operations against Iran, and the Senate approved its own version in June. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and its likely next chairman, has threatened lawsuits to enforce what the White House describes as symbolic votes. 

The US-Israel relationship will face greater scrutiny in a Democratic-led House, with lawmakers expected to push for restrictions on military aid through the appropriations process and holds on arms sales. Democratic committee chairs will also likely use their subpoena powers to investigate the Gulf business dealings of Trump’s family members and close associates.

This breaking story has been updated since its initial publication.