US Senate rejects second war powers resolution on Iran as Bitcoin dips and crypto sanctions tighten

The US Senate voted on June 25, 2026 to reject a second war powers resolution aimed at constraining President Donald Trump’s military authority over Iran. The final tally came in at 47-50-1, a closer margin than the first attempt but still a comfortable win for the White House. The first war powers resolution went down on March 5, 2026, by a wider 47-53 margin, largely along party lines. The June vote was tighter, partly because Trump publicly pressured Republican senators who had shown wavering support. Two Republican senators, Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy, crossed the aisle to support the resolution anyway. They were not enough. The conflict itself has escalated well beyond diplomatic posturing. US military actions have included sinking an Iranian warship, resulting in the deaths of dozens of sailors. Markets noticed. Bitcoin fell more than 3% below $62,000 in early July 2026, a move directly tied to Trump’s public remarks suggesting a tentative ceasefire with Iran was no longer operative. Meanwhile, US authorities have been quietly building out the sanctions enforcement side of this conflict in crypto. The Treasury froze at least $344 million in Iranian-linked crypto assets, with ...