Ted Osius Says Congress Could Use Spending Power to Curb Iran War

Former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius said a Democratic-controlled Congress could use federal spending authority to constrain President Donald Trump’s military action against Iran, while tariffs would be harder to reverse.

Osius made the remarks at a summit in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the day of the U.S. midterm elections. His comments described possible action by a Democratic-controlled Congress, not a congressional move already taken.

A survey conducted Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 among 5,062 U.S. adults found that 65% disapproved of Trump’s handling of the military action against Iran, while 33% approved.

On tariffs, Osius said reversing them would be difficult after they were put in place. The Supreme Court ruled Feb. 20, 2026, that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the president to impose tariffs under that law. The majority said Congress may delegate tariff authority explicitly and subject to limits; the ruling concerned tariffs imposed under the law.

TokenPost previously outlined policy areas a Democratic House could revisit, including Iran war funding and tariffs.