In a close vote, the US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a bipartisan resolution that would have required US President Donald Trump to stop military hostilities against Iran. With 219 votes against 212, the representatives denied approval for the plan after the Senate had already rejected a similar measure. This leaves the President strengthened in his decision-making power over the conflict, which has been ongoing for six days and in which over 1,200 people are said to have already lost their lives in the affected regions.
This course is supported by new foreign policy threats: During a reception at the White House, Trump indicated that after Iran, a regime change in Cuba is only a matter of time. He praised the tightened sanctions against the island nation and emphasized that they want to conclude the operations in the Middle East first.
In parallel, the US government is making personnel changes within its own ranks. Trump announced the dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has to step down after strong criticism of her leadership and a controversial hearing before a congressional committee. The Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin is intended as her successor, while Noem is to serve in the future as a special envoy for a new regional security initiative.
Domestically, the President is also facing massive resistance against his construction plans at the White House. The planned project for a luxurious $400 million ballroom on the grounds of the government headquarters met with broad rejection. Due to more than 30,000 complaint letters and criticism of the demolition of the historic East Wing, the responsible planning commission postponed a decisive vote on the construction project.
