¶ Overview
Crank supported Trump's constitutional authority to bring the United States into a war with Iran and in April 2026, claimed Trump did a “good job” in the way he handled the war in Iran. Yet Crank also turned around and claimed that he thought the President “should have” requested authorization from Congress before the war.
Despite saying Congress should be “more jealous” about guarding their Article I power to declare war, Crank voted against multiple resolutions that would direct President Trump to remove troops from Iran, despite the high costs Colorado farmers and consumers faced due to the war.
¶ Crank Defended Trump’s War With Iran
¶ Crank Claimed Trump Did A “Good Job” In The Way That He Handled The Iran War
March 2026: Crank Said Trump Had The Constitutional Authority To Enter A War With Iran. According to a press release from Rep. Jeff Crank, “Representative Jeff Crank (CO-05) has released the following statement after voting against H. Con. Res. 38, Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from Unauthorized Hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran: ‘The President has the Constitutional authority to defend the United States from our adversaries,’ said Rep. Crank. ‘For nearly fifty years, the Iranian regime has posed a significant threat to our nation by brutally killing our service members, murdering our citizens, and attempting to assassinate President Trump—all while developing nuclear capabilities. Both Republican and Democrat presidents have attempted to negotiate deals with the Iranian regime, only to be met with lies and rejection. This Administration has set clear goals to annihilate Iran's nuclear capabilities, Navy, and more to save the globe from terror.’" [Press Release – Rep. Jeff Crank, 3/5/26]
April 2026: Crank Said Trump Did A “Good Job” In The Way That He Handled The Iran War. According to an interview with Jeff Crank on the Richard Randall Show, “CRANK: You know, I felt pretty confident that the president was potentially going to get some kind of a deal. Now, you know, the question is, is this a deal that's going to it's going to hold. We know the Iranian regime is one that uses these kind of tactics simply to, to their advantage so that they can move to move the ball or maybe reconstitute or, you know, things like that. So the proof remains to be seen. But, you know, I think the president has done a good job in, in the way that he's handled this. I know there's a lot of people who say, hey, just go in. You said you were going to do it. You gave them a deadline. You didn't meet it. But, but I think, you know, there's a lot at stake here. And certainly I think this president doesn't take it lightly that there are American lives at risk. And ultimately, we've got to make sure that all of this effort was, was worth it. At the end of the day, we cannot leave without having a resolution to the nuclear material issue and some of these other big issues. So lots to be decided. But I think, you know, the president is a different kind of president and the Iranians found that out last night.” [Richard Randall Show, 4/8/26] (audio)
¶ Crank Claimed He Thought The President “Should Have” Requested Authorization From Congress To Enter The Iran War But That He Would Not Vote To End It
August 2026: Crank Claimed He Thought The President “Should Have” Requested Authorization From Congress Before The Iran War And That It Needed To End, But That He Would Not Vote To End It. According to Jeff Crank in a debate hosted by KOAA News 5, “CRANK: Well, my position has been the same. It's been the same during the Trump administration as it was during the Obama administration. Presidents should come to Congress and seek congressional approval before they commit troops to war. President O- Biden, President Obama did not do that. And President Trump chose not to do it here. He should have. But I'm not going to vote to pull the rug out from underneath our men and women who are deployed and fighting for us in the military. By voting against authorization of the War Powers Act. I'm just not going to do it. I will say this. I sit in classified briefings. I know the threat. The president knows the threat that was there from Iran. The Biden administration knew the threat. They just chose not to act on it. We know what the threat is. We need to get done and get finished there. And I do think we need to do that as quickly as possible. But I am not going to vote to pull back, pull the rug out from underneath our men and women who serve us in the military today.” [KOAA News 5, 8/27/26] (video)
- Crank Claimed Congress Should Be “More Jealous” About Guarding Article I Powers To Declare War, When Asked About Congressional Authorization For The Iran War. According to Jeff Crank in a debate hosted by KOAA News 5, “CRANK: Again, Ernest, I, I wanted the president, this president, and every president to come to Congress. You know, we should have asked this question when President Obama went into Syria and other places. And so there's sort of this selective issue. I think presidents should do that. And I think Congress should hold their their Article One powers. They should be more jealous about guarding that.” [KOAA News 5, 8/27/26] (video)
¶ Crank Repeatedly Voted Against Ending The United States’ Hostilities In Iran
¶ July 2026: Crank Voted Against Removing U.S. Armed Forces From Hostilities Against Iran Unless Explicitly Authorized By A Declaration Of War
2026: Crank Voted Against Terminating Hostilities Against Iran Without A Declaration Of War. In May 2026, Crank voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “adoption of a resolution that would direct the president to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.” The vote was on passage. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 215 to 208. [House Vote 199, 6/3/26; Congressional Quarterly, 6/3/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 86]
- The Vote Occurred As The War Entered Its Fourth Month, And Was The House’s Fourth Vote On The War As Gas And Food Prices Continued To Rise. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Either way, supporters say the House adopting the resolution sends an important message to Trump that Congress is fed up with the war as it lumbers into its fourth month. ‘We're now past 90 days, there seems to be no end to this war, and folks want some accountability, Democrats and Republicans,’ New York Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the sponsor of Wednesday’s resolution, said ahead of the vote. ‘The American people are suffering. The cost of gas continues to go up, the cost of food and inflation keeps going up.’ ‘So it's been building and building,’ Meeks added. Wednesday’s vote was the House’s fourth on an Iran war powers resolution since the war started at the end of February, with each vote getting tighter than before. In the third vote last month, the measure was rejected 212-212.” [Congressional Quarterly, 6/3/26]
- GOP Leadership Delayed The Vote Through A Week-Long Recess When It Became Clear It Would Pass. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The House had originally been slated to vote on Meeks’ resolution before the Memorial Day recess. But when it became apparent the resolution was likely to be approved, particularly with a handful of Republican absences, GOP leadership yanked the vote from the schedule. Republicans could not delay the vote beyond Wednesday since the 1973 War Powers Resolution (PL 93-148) requires the House to vote within three legislative days of a measure being called up on the floor.” [Congressional Quarterly, 6/3/26]
- The Vote Came Amidst Ongoing Strikes Despite A Proclaimed Ceasefire With Iran Claiming It Was Suspending Talks Following An Israeli Incursion Of Lebanon. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The growing congressional angst over the war comes as an already fragile ceasefire appears increasingly tenuous and the Trump administration’s negotiations with Iran stumble. Early Wednesday morning, Iran launched a missile and drone attack at an airport in Kuwait, killing an Indian national and injuring dozens of other people, in what Tehran described as a response to U.S. strikes on Iran the night before. U.S. Central Command said Iran also targeted U.S. forces in Kuwait but that air defenses shot down the drones and ‘ensured no American personnel or assets were harmed.’ On Tuesday evening, Central Command said it conducted ‘self-defense strike’ on Iran’s Qeshm Island in response to Iran firing missiles and drones toward Kuwait and Bahrain. Hours earlier, Central Command also said U.S. forces fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of a Botswana-flagged oil tanker that it alleged was trying to evade the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports. The exchange of fire comes amid on-again-off-again talks to end the war. On Monday, Iran said it was suspending talks with the United States in response to Israel’s incursion into Lebanon. But Trump maintained that talks are continuing despite Iran’s statement, posting on Truth Social on Tuesday that ‘the conversations between us have been going on continuously.’” [Congressional Quarterly, 6/3/26]
¶ June 2026: Crank Voted Against Removing U.S. Armed Forces From Hostilities Against Iran Unless Explicitly Authorized By A Declaration Of War
2026: Crank Effectively Voted Against Withdrawing US Troops From Iran. In July 2026 Crank voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “motion to discharge the Foreign Relations Committee from further consideration of the joint resolution that would direct the president to withdraw U.S. armed forces hostilities against Iran not authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for military force.” The vote was on adoption of the resolution. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 214 to 208. [House Vote 282, 7/23/26; Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res.89]
- The Senate Voted Against Ending The War In Iran On The Same Day. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The House and Senate, in votes Thursday on ending the Iran war, came to different conclusions, but the majority of voting members of Congress said it is time to bring U.S. troops home. The House, for the second time, formally called on President Donald Trump to end the war, approving 214-208 a nonbinding concurrent resolution (H Con Res 89) by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26]
- The Vote Came After The Trump Administration Declared A Memorandum Of Understanding From The Previous Month “Over”, With Three US Troops Killed The Weekend Before And Houthi Strikes Against Two Saudi Tankers The Day Before. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Last month, the Trump administration announced it had reached a memorandum of understanding with Iran. But less than a month later, Trump declared the MOU ‘over.’ On July 10, he formally notified Congress fighting in the war had resumed. Over the weekend, three U.S. troops were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, while a fourth U.S. service member in Iraq died during what was supposed to be a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone. Iran’s proxy group in Yemen, the Houthis, struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday. Such attacks could choke off another bottleneck in the global economy in addition to the ongoing throttling of trade in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the war.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26]
- As Hostilities Resumed, The Price Of Crude Oil Exceeded $100 Per Barrel For The First Time Since May With The Average Cost Per Gallon Of Gas Exceeding $4. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Apparently in response, the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil exceeded $100 on Thursday for the first time since May. The national average price of a gallon of gas in the United States averaged just over $4 on Thursday, per AAA. And polls show the war is unpopular among Americans.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26]
¶ May 2026: Crank Voted Against Terminating Hostilities Against Iran Without A Declaration Of War
5/14/26: Crank Voted Against Terminating Hostilities Against Iran Without A Declaration Of War. In May 2026, Rep. Jeff Crank voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would direct the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force against Iran. It would clarify that nothing in the measure could be construed to disrupt intelligence, counterintelligence or investigative activities.” The vote was on passage. The House rejected the resolution by a vote of 212 to 212. [House Vote 170, 5/14/26; Congressional Quarterly, 5/14/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 75]
¶ April 2026: Crank Voted Against Directing The President To Withdraw Troops From Iran Unless Authorized By Congress
4/16/26: Crank Voted Against Directing The President To Withdraw Troops From Iran Unless Authorized By Congress. In April 2026, Rep. Jeff Crank voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would direct the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran. The measure would exempt the use of U.S. armed forces that may be necessary to defend the U.S. or a U.S. ally or partner from imminent attack.” The vote was on passage. The House rejected the resolution by a vote of 213 to 214. [House Vote 114, 4/16/26; Congressional Quarterly, 4/16/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res.40]
¶ March 2026: Crank Voted Against Directing President Trump To Withdraw Troops From Iran
3/5/26: Crank Voted Against Directing President Trump To Withdraw Troops From Iran. In March 2026, Crank voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would direct the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran or any part of its military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran.” The vote was on passage. The House rejected the concurrent resolution by a vote of 212 to 219. [House Vote 85, 3/5/26; Congressional Quarterly, 3/5/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res.38]
¶ Coloradans Faced Higher Costs Amid The United States’ War With Iran
¶ Gas Prices In Colorado Surged Amid The United States’ Conflict With Iran
July 2026: Gas Prices In Colorado Averaged $4.067 Per Gallon. According to AAA, as of July 28, 2026, gas prices in Colorado averaged $4.067 per gallon.
[AAA Fuel Prices – Colorado, Viewed 7/28/26]
HEADLINE: "Colorado Gas Prices Rise Above $4" [Axios Denver, 7/23/26]
HEADLINE: "Gas At The Pump, Flights, Food Trucks. It All Might Get More Expensive." [Colorado Public Radio, 4/29/26]
¶ Colorado Farmers Were Faced Skyrocketing Fertilizer Prices Due To The War With Iran
Some Colorado Farmers Were Forced To Forgo Fertilizer As Prices Skyrocketed Amid The United States’ War With Iran. According to Colorado Public Radio, “It’s fertilizing time for some Colorado farmers, and they are already feeling the continuing sting of an uncertain economy and a record-making drought in the West. Now the war in Iran is compounding the problem. That’s because a lot of fertilizer is made from natural gas. As much as a third of the world’s critical components needed to make that fertilizer pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway in the Middle East that’s been all but shut down since the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran in March. ‘Fertilizer prices are literally changing by the hour sometimes,’ said Dallas Vaughn of Flagler Aerial Spraying, which sells and applies fertilizers to farms on Colorado’s northeast plains. ‘So it's heavily affected. We've seen fertilizer go up 50%, 60% just ever since the Iran conflict opened up.’ […] Some farmers might simply forgo fertilizer this year, he said. The extremely dry weather in Colorado means crop yields will be low. Dumping expensive fertilizer into the soil might not make sense.” [Colorado Public Radio, 4/17/26]
HEADLINE: "Iran War Drives Up Fertilizer Prices, Adding More To Farmers' Woes In Colorado" [CBS News, 4/3/26]
¶ The Iran War Increased The Cost Of Fresh Food And Everyday Goods
July 2026: Prices For Fresh Food, School Supplies, And Any Goods That Required Shipment Were Expected To Increase Amid Energy Price Increases Due To The United States’ War With Iran. According to PBS, “Already feeling pinched since the start of the Iran war, consumers are likely to feel more pain ahead as oil prices pushed past $100 a barrel Thursday amid renewed fighting and military strikes that have left global oil supplies stranded in the Middle East. The elevated price marked a turn from lower oil prices enjoyed briefly when hostilities between the U.S. and Iran waned in June. Brent crude, the international standard, last reached $100 a barrel in May. Companies that produce and sell fresh food, school supplies and anything that gets shipped using fuel reported cost impacts from an earlier spike in energy prices after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. They're likely to continue passing some of their increased expenses to consumers.” [PBS News, 7/24/26]
HEADLINE: "Higher Prices For Gas, Groceries And Flights Will Likely Outlast The Iran War" [AP News, 6/16/26]
Tomatoes, Bananas, And Onions Experienced Major Price Hikes Since The Beginning Of The War. According to Fortune, "The U.S., Israel, and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, but the sticker shock you’ve been feeling every time you go to the grocery store will get worse if the war continues. One of the first places you’ll feel it will be the produce aisle, experts say. A Fortune analysis of produce wholesale prices from USDA data found grocery-cart staples such as tomatoes, bananas, and yellow onions have experienced significant price spikes since the war began. The United Nations reported its global food price index rose by 2.4% in March, the second consecutive month of rising prices." [Fortune, 4/8/26]