US Senate Democrats block $1.15 trillion defense bill over Iran war objections
Democrats are concerned that authorizing a huge Pentagon budget would be seen as approval of the war on Iran that began with strikes by the US and Israel on February 28
Assessment
Senate Democrats are using a procedural hold to signal that the Pentagon budget cannot be decoupled from the military campaign against Iran that began on February 28. Their objection turns a routine funding bill into a referendum on the war itself. The standoff underscores how deeply the conflict has reshaped congressional debate.