Trump 'boxed in' as fed-up Republicans send him a 'striking' message: analysis

The House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday to curtail President Donald Trump's war powers in Iran, with four Republicans breaking from their party to deliver one of the most significant legislative rebukes of his presidency – and a signal that his grip might be slipping.

The resolution passed 215-208, and if approved by the Senate — where it appears to have the support of roughly 50 members — the president would be required to either withdraw American forces from Iran or obtain explicit congressional authorization to continue military operations, and CNN's Aaron Blake examined the significance of that vote.

"At the very least, the House vote was a striking commentary on just how much Republicans appear to be losing patience with Trump and his politically damaging war," Blake wrote. "It was a sign that a small but clearly significant number of them are less willing to give him time to try and figure a way out."

"The result is that Trump is increasingly boxed in," he added.

The White House has signaled it views the underlying law as unconstitutional and may attempt to disregard the resolution entirely, but the vote arrived at a moment of mounting pressure on the administration across several fronts.

Senate Republicans broke sharply with the White House this week over its proposed "anti-weaponization" fund — a $1.776 billion mechanism intended to compensate individuals the administration claims were wronged by the Biden administration. Critics within the GOP warned the fund could operate as an unaccountable political slush fund, potentially benefiting allies of the president, including individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the fund was being withdrawn, though Trump himself has yet to formally abandon it.

The administration also retreated on a separate front, with Trump signaling he would defer to Congress on the future of the Kennedy Center after a federal court ruled against him on the question of his name appearing on the building.

Adding to the White House's difficulties, Trump's selection of Bill Pulte — director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and widely seen as lacking intelligence experience — as acting director of national intelligence drew sharp skepticism on Capitol Hill. Democrats have indicated they may withhold support for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a critical surveillance authority set to expire, unless Pulte's appointment is reconsidered.

Trump's poll numbers have fallen to historic lows, and Tuesday's primaries brought a rare loss for a Trump-backed candidate in Iowa. Several Republicans ousted in recent primaries, now freed from reelection concerns, have begun voting and speaking against the president with increasing frequency.

Negotiations with Iran, meanwhile, have shown little sign of producing a breakthrough.

"There is little sign that it’s happening fast enough for Trump and his domestic political concerns," Blake wrote. "There is plenty of reason to doubt Iran would agree to anything Trump could truly sell as a good deal. And he has bluffed so many times about restarting large-scale military strikes that Tehran doesn’t seem to be taking that threat seriously anymore."

The House also doesn't seem to be buying into his bluff, either, and his options are narrowing.

"If the Senate follows suit," Blake wrote, "he’ll really find himself inside a box."