House Speaker Mike Johnson is blocking any congressional authorization vote on military operations in Iran, insisting the U.S. is not formally at war and therefore Congress has no need to weigh in on the Trump administration's ongoing campaign.
"I don't think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that," Johnson told NBC News on Thursday. "Right now, we are trying to broker a peace." The Louisiana Republican said he would refuse to pressure the White House during what he called sensitive negotiations.
His stance becomes critical this week as the military operation nears the 60-day threshold set by the 1973 War Powers Resolution. That law requires presidents to withdraw military forces from conflict within 60 days unless Congress authorizes the war. The Trump administration has not signaled whether it will request the 30-day extension the law permits.
"We are not at war," Johnson said when pressed directly about the deadline. "We're policing the Strait of Hormuz and trying to get a peace."
Behind the scenes, White House officials and congressional leaders are in active conversations about managing the legal requirement, according to a senior White House official. That official warned that any member voting against authorization "would only undermine the United States military abroad."
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the administration has been transparent with Congress, noting that officials conducted over 30 bipartisan briefings on military updates. "The President's preference is always diplomacy, and Iran wants to make a deal," she said in a statement.
The human and financial costs of the operation continue to mount. Pentagon officials testified Wednesday that the campaign has cost $25 billion so far. Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III indicated the Trump administration plans to request supplemental funding from Congress, with no sign the military operation will wind down in the near term.
Military leaders offering their 2027 budget request to the House Armed Services Committee made no indication the Iran campaign would be concluding, suggesting the conflict remains an active commitment despite Johnson's characterization of it as something short of war.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Johnson's semantic dodge on the War Powers Act looks increasingly fragile as the bill comes due, both politically and financially."
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