President Trump claimed Friday that military operations against Iran have effectively ended, a declaration that sidesteps a congressionally mandated deadline to seek approval for continued warfare. The assertion came in a letter to Republican leaders just as a 60-day war powers clock was expiring.
The War Powers Act of 1973 gives the president authority to deploy troops in response to an imminent threat but requires congressional approval within 60 days to sustain military operations. Friday marked exactly 60 days since Trump notified lawmakers on February 28 that the U.S. and Israel had launched strikes against Iran.
In his May 1 letter addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, Trump said he had ordered a two-week ceasefire on April 7, which was subsequently extended. "There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," the letter stated. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated."
The president framed the operation as necessary action consistent with his duty to protect Americans and defend national security interests. Yet in the same letter, Trump acknowledged that the threat from Iran remained significant and that the Pentagon would continue adjusting its military posture in the region as needed.
Departing the White House on Friday, Trump told reporters he saw no need to seek congressional blessing for the military campaign. He claimed such approval had never been requested before and questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act itself. "Nobody's ever asked for it before. It's never been used before. Why should we be different?," he said.
Legal experts and Democratic lawmakers quickly rejected Trump's position. The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the White House expressing "profound concern" over an "illegal war," noting that the War Powers Resolution contains no ceasefire mechanism that would pause the statutory clock.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, condemned the move on social media, calling it "bullshit" and "an illegal war" while accusing Republicans of complicity in endangering American lives and driving up domestic prices.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, pointed out that tens of thousands of U.S. service members remain in the region under threat, the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and oil prices have surged domestically. "President Trump entered this war without a strategy and without legal authorization," she said.
The disagreement over war powers authority has become a defining constitutional clash of Trump's term. During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that the 60-day clock pauses during a ceasefire. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine flatly disputed that interpretation, saying the statute contains no such provision and that Trump's prosecution of the war raises "serious constitutional concerns."
Senate Republicans blocked a new war powers resolution brought by Democrats on Thursday. California Senator Adam Schiff, who introduced the latest measure aimed at ending the conflict, said Trump lacks authority to continue military operations beyond 60 days under any reasonable reading of the statute.
Republicans have largely declined to challenge Trump's unilateral use of force, allowing the May 1 deadline to pass without meaningful legislative pushback. The administration has previously suggested the war would conclude soon, though Trump's own letter makes clear operations remain active and ongoing across the region.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's 'ceasefire pauses the clock' argument is constitutional gymnastics that even his own legal team knows won't survive scrutiny, and GOP silence on war powers is a dereliction that will haunt Congress long after this presidency ends."
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