Sen. Lindsey Graham is now calling for Congress to weigh in on ending the Iran conflict—despite previously insisting the president didn’t need lawmakers’ approval to start it in the first place.
In a post on X Tuesday, the South Carolina Republican said a proposal from Iran to end the war should be sent to Congress for a vote, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire.
“As to an Iranian ten point proposal to end the war, I look forward to reviewing it at the appropriate time and its submission to Congress for a vote, like we did with the Obama JCPOA,” Graham wrote.
That’s a notable shift in tone from Graham, who has repeatedly argued that Trump had full authority to launch military action against Iran without consulting Congress.
He doubled down on his position in the same post, laying out strict conditions for any agreement.
“I want to reaffirm that from my point of view, every ounce of the approximately 900 lbs. of highly enriched uranium has to be controlled by the U.S. and removed from Iran to prevent them in the future from having a dirty bomb or returning to the enrichment business – the Libyan model, for lack of a better phrase,” Graham added.
But it’s his earlier comments that are now drawing renewed scrutiny.
In a recent appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Graham dismissed the idea that congressional approval was necessary for military action.
“I think the War Powers Act is unconstitutional,” he said when asked whether Trump needed authorization to strike Iran.
Pressed further by host Kristen Welker—who pointed out that Graham himself voted to authorize the Iraq War—he tried to draw a distinction.
According to Graham, President George W. Bush sought congressional approval, while Trump did not.
“So, does President Trump need to ask?” Welker asked.
“No, that’s what I’m trying to tell you,” Graham replied.
He went even further, arguing that Trump’s actions were fully within presidential authority.
“Every president before him talked about doing it. He actually did it. He has the legal authority to do it,” Graham said.
Now, with a potential off-ramp to the conflict on the table, Graham is urging Congress to step in— when it comes to ending the war.
The contrast is hard to ignore: no vote needed to start it, but a vote required to stop it.
Whether Congress actually takes up the proposal remains to be seen. But Graham’s shift highlights a broader tension in Washington over war powers, presidential authority, and when lawmakers decide they want a say.
