Cassidy explains Iran war powers reversal after White House briefing

Late Wednesday in the Situation Room, Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff briefed Bill Cassidy on Iran’s nuclear capability, ballistic missiles, conventional military strength and the administration’s goals, and the briefing changed his vote on the Senate’s Iran war powers resolution.

In an interview with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation, conducted June 25 and aired June 28, the Louisiana Republican said he had planned to support the measure because lawmakers were not being briefed.

The Senate had narrowly advanced the measure June 23 with four Republicans joining Democrats, then blocked it in a 47-50-1 vote on June 24 after a closed-door lunch with President Donald Trump turned contentious.

Cassidy said Congress and senators were not getting briefed, and he wanted more information before backing a measure that would have constrained the White House on Iran. He said he even passed a note to Witkoff saying he would consider changing his vote if he received a briefing.

Cassidy said Vance and Witkoff walked through Iran’s nuclear capability, ballistic missiles, conventional military strength and the administration’s goals. Cassidy said the White House had dropped regime change as an objective, and he described the officials’ presentation as laying out a plausible plan. He said caution still applied, even after the briefing.

Senate Republicans tried to kill the resolution after the White House meeting. Cassidy and Sen. Rand Paul moved away from supporting it. On the other side, Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted in favor, and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine led the resolution that forced the fight.

He had clashed with Trump in a shouting match over the earlier war powers vote.