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Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) will oppose a War Powers Act resolution designed to restrain President Trump on Iran, the two lawmakers tell Axios.

Why it matters: Their opposition to Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) resolution, which Khanna and Massie plan to bring to the House floor next week, will make it harder to pass. Gottheimer's hostility to the resolution also means that Democratic opposition to Trump on any potential action against Iran won't be uniform, like it was for the vote to rebuke Trump's action in Venezuela.

Massie is already pessimistic that he'll convince other Republicans to join him, Axios reported Thursday.

What they are saying: "We oppose the Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution to prohibit the use of force against Iran," the two lawmakers said in a statement first obtained by Axios. "We respect and defend Congress's constitutional role in matters of war. Oversight and debate are absolutely vital," they said.

"However, this resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment."

Zoom out: Trump is keeping the world guessing on whether he'll order military strikes against Iran and has raised the prospect of a deal on Iran's nuclear program.

"You're going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days," he said Thursday. It' s also unclear if he plans to use an initial — and limited — round of strikes to force Iran to the negotiating table or if he will engage in a longer military campaign, potentially lasting for weeks. 

"I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks," one Trump adviser told Axios.

Between the lines: Even before the broadside from Gottheimer and Lawler, the prospects for the Khana-Massie resolution passing were not good.

In the Senate, it's unclear if Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will force a vote on their own version of the resolution before Trump potentially takes any military action. 

Zoom in: Both Gottheimer and Lawler supported the joint U.S. and Israel strikes against Iran ' s nuclear program in June and have since both voiced support for protesters — and appeared together on CNN to make their position clear. Friday's statement is the latest iteration of their hawkish approach to the current regime in Iran. 

"So long as 'Death to America' remains the rallying cry of the Iranian regime, Iran will remain a persistent and serious threat to our men and women in uniform, our allies, and global stability," Gottheimer and Lawler said. "We know that Tehran is still pursuing a nuclear weapon and, since the June conflict, has moved aggressively to rebuild its ballistic missile capabilities — a direct threat to our brave service members and key democratic allies."