53:47! The Senate's third rejection of the "Limit War" bill—does this mean Trump's "military power" is unchecked?

Huitong Finance APP News—On Tuesday (March 24), the U.S. Senate rejected, by a vote of 53 to 47, the third war powers resolution this month aimed at limiting President Trump’s military actions against Iran. The resolution was introduced by Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator from Connecticut. The vote largely followed party lines: only Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky, voted in favor, while John Fetterman, a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, voted against.

This marked the third time in the month that the Senate rejected a similar Democratic proposal, highlighting the severe partisan divide within Congress over the issue of military actions against Iran.

The vote ended 53:47. Republicans almost all opposed, while Democrats almost all supported, with only two cross-party exceptions. This is consistent with the results of the first two similar resolutions introduced by Senators Booker and Cain, indicating that the Democratic Party’s efforts to limit the president’s military authority through war powers resolutions are unlikely to succeed under the current Senate composition.

Key contents of the war powers resolution

Criticizing the timeline the Trump administration provided for the “epic rage” operation, the resolution proposed by Murphy argues that it is inconsistent. It believes the lives of U.S. soldiers are being placed in unnecessary danger. The resolution calls for fully cutting off U.S. armed forces from hostile actions occurring within Iran or directed against Iran, effectively seeking to invoke the War Powers Resolution to rescind congressional authorization and compel the president to end or restrict military actions.

Like the first two proposals, this resolution did not obtain enough cross-party support and ultimately failed to pass.

Trump’s latest comments and the 15-point plan

Before the vote, Trump said negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement with Iran are underway—“They are very eager to get a deal.” He emphasized that the United States is talking with the “right people” in Iran and that he has already submitted a 15-point plan through intermediaries, aimed at ending the war.

According to reports, the 15-point plan includes core demands such as dismantling Iran’s nuclear facilities, stopping support for armed regional proxies, limiting missile programs, and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is reopened. In exchange, the United States would offer concessions such as comprehensive sanctions relief and support for Iran’s civilian nuclear program, and it also suggests implementing a one-month ceasefire first.

Analysis of the impact on the gold market

When the U.S. domestic checks-and-balances mechanism fails, foreign policy decisions by the executive branch become the key variable of risk. This uncertainty itself is a factor supporting gold. During the Asian trading session on Wednesday, spot gold fluctuated upward, currently trading around $4,590 per ounce, with a roughly 2.6% gain on the day.

（Spot gold daily chart, source: Yihuitong）

Outlook and risks going forward

Three consecutive Senate rejections of war powers resolutions indicate that, in the short term, Trump still has substantial autonomy regarding military actions against Iran. However, congressional Democrats will continue to apply pressure, and in the future they may limit the use of funds through the budget or other legislative means.

If breakthroughs in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are achieved around Thursday with the help of mediators, military actions may gradually be de-escalated; conversely, if talks break down or Iran sticks to a hardline stance, the United States may continue military buildup, further aggravating regional tensions and volatility in global energy markets. Investors should pay attention to subsequent diplomatic developments, oil price trends, and the next steps taken by Congress.

Editor’s summary

The U.S. Senate rejected, by a vote of 53:47, the third war powers resolution this month seeking to limit Trump’s military actions against Iran. The pattern of partisan confrontation continued, with only Rand Paul voting in support. At the same time, Trump said that U.S.-Iran negotiations have made progress and that he has submitted a 15-point ceasefire proposal.

Overall, attempts by the U.S. Congress to reclaim military authorization through war powers resolutions have been thwarted. In the short term, Trump still holds the initiative, but diplomatic talks and domestic political pressure in the United States coexist, leaving the direction of the situation in the Middle East full of uncertainty.

At 10:53 Beijing time, spot gold was trading at $4,588.96 per ounce.