On July 14, 2026, Senate Democrats blocked the $1.15 trillion National Defense Authorization Act. The procedural vote drew 50 yes votes against 46 no, but fell short of the 60 needed to advance.
The stated reason was the war. Democrats cited the resumption of the conflict with Iran and Trump's refusal to seek congressional authorization for a war that began on February 28. Some also objected to provisions deepening U.S. military and intelligence integration with Israel, and to the record size of the Pentagon topline: about $1.1 trillion for the Defense Department, $41 billion for the Energy Department's nuclear-weapons work, and $11 billion in other defense activities, including a 3.6 percent troop pay raise.
The blockade of a defense bill that normally passes with broad bipartisan support is a measure of how far the war has strained Congress's tolerance. It is also one of the few levers the minority actually holds: having failed four times to pass a war-powers resolution over Trump's pressure, Democrats used the Pentagon's own funding vehicle to register that the war remains unauthorized (see Trump Declares His Iran Ceasefire 'Over,' Calling Tehran's Leaders 'Scum' as the War Reignites, A Day After Congress Passed an Iran War Powers Resolution, the Senate Blocks a Second One, 47-50, Under Direct Pressure From Trump and A House Defense-Bill Provision Would Have the Pentagon 'Synchronize' U.S.-Israel Weapons Development; an Amendment to Strip It Failed by Voice Vote).