‘Hostilities have terminated’ - Trump says deadline for Congress to approve Iran war doesn’t apply

The White House has asserted to the U.S. Congress in a letter on Friday, May 1 that hostilities with Iran have terminated, despite the continued presence of U.S. armed forces in the region.  This message effectively skirts a May 1 legal deadline for President Donald Trump to gain congressional approval to continue the conflict.The deadline, set by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, requires the president to obtain authorization within 60 days of starting hostilities, a window that closed this Friday. Trump argued that the war, which began on February 28, 2026, effectively ended with a shaky ceasefire in early April, rendering the deadline inapplicable.The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated, Trump wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Chuck Grassley. However, he cautioned that the threat remains significant and that U.S. forces will stay in the region to secure a lasting peace.The move comes as Republican lawmakers remain largely divided but deferential to the executive branch. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated he does not plan on a vote to authorize force, while Senator Kevin Cramer questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution itself.Conversely, a handful of Republicans, including Senators Susan Collins and Todd Young, have expressed concern. Collins voted with Democrats to halt the war, stating the 60-day deadline is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that the current ceasefire pauses or stops the 60-day clock, even as the U.S. Navy maintains a blockade to prevent Iranian oil tankers from reaching the sea.The assertion of presidential power follows two months of conflict that began without a formal declaration of war. President Trump echoed past administrations in his critique of the War Powers Resolution, stating as he departed for Florida, Every other president considered it totally unconstitutional, and we agree with that. The post Hostilities have terminated - Trump says deadline for Congress to approve Iran war doesnt apply appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.