Senate vote targets Trump’s Iran war, crypto eyes relief

The U.S. Senate advanced a measure that could force President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval for the Iran war, while Bitcoin (BTC) remained little changed near $77,200 at press time.

The procedural vote passed 50-47 on May 19, with four Republicans joining most Democrats. Reuters reported that the measure would end the Iran war unless Trump gets authorization from Congress.

The resolution still faces a difficult path. It must pass the full Senate and the Republican-led House. Trump could veto it, and Congress would need two-thirds support in both chambers to override him.

Kaine says Congress must decide

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who sponsored the bill, said Congress should decide whether the U.S. stays in the conflict. He wrote that Trump launched an “illegal war” 80 days earlier.

Kaine added, “Congress has the power to slam the brakes on this unwise conflict.” Republican Senator Bill Cassidy also backed the vote, saying the White House and Pentagon had left Congress “in the dark” on Operation Epic Fury.

Meanwhile, the conflict has weighed on global markets because of fuel and energy concerns tied to the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported that U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran on Feb. 28, while the U.S. later said a ceasefire had ended hostilities.

Related market coverage has shown how Iran headlines can move Bitcoin quickly. Bitcoin jumped near $79,500 in April after reports of a new Iran proposal, before a sharp pullback erased the gains and crypto liquidations reached about $275 million.

Bitcoin reaction remains muted

Bitcoin had not moved much after the Senate vote, trading around $77,200 at the time of writing, according to crypto.news data. The muted reaction showed that traders were still focused on macro data, oil prices, inflation, and the next step in Congress.

HashKey Group senior researcher Tim Sun said the vote “directly indicates” rising political pressure on Trump. He added that the signal was a “relatively mild positive catalyst” for risk assets, not a decisive driver.

Analysts watch risk appetite

Bitrue Research Institute research lead Andri Fauzan Adziima gave a stronger market view. He said the vote could be “a strong bullish catalyst for crypto,” with Bitcoin possibly seeing a 6% to 10% relief rally.

Past market moves support the idea that de-escalation headlines can affect Bitcoin. Separate coverage in April reported that Bitcoin held near $75,000 as ETF inflows reached $597.50 million over two days during renewed U.S.-Iran ceasefire hopes.

Still, the resolution is not law. The next market reaction may depend on whether Congress advances the bill, whether Trump resists it, and whether tension around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz eases.