US Domestic — 2026-08-18

Congressional Democrats Plan Oman War Powers Resolution After Trump Threatens Bombing of US Ally

BLUFKaine's Oman War Powers Resolution will very likely reach a Senate floor vote by October 31 but lacks veto-proof support, leaving Trump's threat to a treaty ally functionally unchecked.

President Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News that "if Oman gets in the way" of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, "we'll bomb the shit out of them," a threat directed at reported Omani-Iranian talks over the waterway Tim Kaine" data-url="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-will-challenge-trumps-deranged-threat-to-bomb-the-shit-out-of-oman" data-rt="primary" data-otype="government">12. Asked to elaborate in the Oval Office, Trump said he does not think Oman "behaved very well" but that the US "would handle them very easily" 2. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he will introduce a War Powers Resolution barring military action against Oman when the Senate returns from recess next month, calling Trump "increasingly deranged" and citing Oman's status as a US diplomatic and free-trade partner 1. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told Axios Democrats "may just need to file war powers resolutions for the 192 other countries," and Trump separately claimed the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz as the 60-day US-Iran deadline to reach a deal expired Monday 34. The White House did not respond to requests for comment 23.

Analysis
Kaine's War Powers Resolution will very likely reach a Senate floor vote by October 31, 2026, since the privileged procedure forces action within days of introduction and strips leadership of scheduling discretion. High confidence rests on that procedural mechanism plus Kaine's public commitment, both narrowing the outcome to a monitorable date, with convergent Axios, NBC News, and Hill reporting corroborated by Kaine's own office. The measure carries symbolic rather than binding weight given a likely presidential veto and thin Republican support, and Trump's threat may function as leverage against Iran and Oman rather than a literal military plan, making the response as much a midterm messaging exercise as a war-powers check, especially as Khanna floats extending resolutions to 192 other countries. A floor vote still forces Senate leadership to burn calendar time and puts Republicans on record before voters, while stalling in committee lets Trump's Hormuz brinkmanship continue unchecked.

4 sources

Kaine Will Challenge Trump's Deranged Threat To "Bomb the Shit" Out of Oman - Office of Sen. Tim Kaine
Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it 'gets in the way' of Strait of Hormuz talks with Iran - NBC News
Congressional Democrats plan Oman war powers push after Trump threatens bombing - Axios
Live updates: Trump says US controls Strait of Hormuz as peace deal with Iran expires - The Hill