Iran hostilities terminated, White House tells Congress as War Powers deadline nears

The White House told Congress in a Friday letter that fighting with Iran had ended. U.S. forces still remained in the region. The claim helped President Donald Trump avoid a May 1 deadline. That date required approval to keep the war going. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, without a vote.

Representative image

President Donald Trump wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Chuck Grassley. Trump said, "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.\" The letter still warned about future risks. Trump said, \"Despite the success of United States operations against the Iranian regime and continued efforts to secure a lasting peace, the threat posed by Iran to the United States and our Armed Forces remains significant.\"

War Powers Resolution of 1973 deadline and Iran ceasefire

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 sets a 60-day limit after Congress is notified. Lawmakers must authorise force or the campaign should end. A president can seek a 30-day extension for a safe withdrawal. The 60-day window was due to expire on Friday. Congress did not act, and left town on Thursday.

The Trump administration argued the legal clock did not apply anymore. Officials said the war effectively ended when a fragile ceasefire started in early April. During a Thursday hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, \"We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means, the 60-day clock pauses or stops.\"

Democrats challenged that reading of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine told Hegseth, \"I do not believe the statute would support that,\" during the hearing. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said U.S. assets still operated in the area. Schiff said, \"Ceasing to use some forces while using others does not somehow stop the clock.\"

Congress and War Powers Resolution of 1973 vote pressure

Republican leaders showed little appetite for a vote on Iran. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Thursday that a vote was unlikely. Thune said, \"Im listening carefully to what the members of our conference are saying, and at this point I dont see that,\" when asked about authorising force.

Several Republicans linked their caution to politics and public mood. Lawmakers faced growing anger about the conflict and higher gas prices. Still, many Republicans backed Trump’s wartime direction. Others preferred to wait during the ceasefire. The Senate rejected a Democratic bid to stop the war for a sixth time.

Some Republicans questioned the War Powers Resolution of 1973 itself. Sen. Kevin Cramer said he would back authorisation if Trump requested it. Cramer also raised doubts about the law’s constitutionality. Cramer said, \"Our founders created a really strong executive, like it or not like it,\" when discussing presidential power.

Republican senators and War Powers Resolution of 1973 funding concerns

Some GOP senators said Congress should set limits. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said on Thursday that Congress must have a role. Murkowski said, \"I do not believe we should engage in open-ended military action without clear accountability,\" and added, \"Congress has a role.\" Murkowski planned a limited measure after the recess.

Other Republicans also called for a defined strategy on Iran. Maine’s Susan Collins voted with Democrats on Thursday to halt the war. Collins said, \"The presidents authority as commander in chief is not without limits,\" and added that the \"60-day deadline is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.\"

Republican Sens. John Curtis, Thom Tillis and Josh Hawley also wanted a vote later. Curtis said funding should not continue without authorisation. Curtis said, \"It is time for decision-making from both the administration and from Congress - and that can happen in league with one another, not in conflict,\" when discussing next steps.

Thune also urged the White House to brief lawmakers more often. He suggested regular readouts from military leaders. Thune said, \"Obviously, getting readouts from our military leadership on a somewhat regular basis I think will be helpful in terms of shaping the views of our members about how comfortable they are with everything thats happening there, and the direction headed forward.\"

The dispute continued as U.S. forces stayed active around key sea routes. Iran still held a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report. The U.S. Navy maintained a blockade to stop Iran’s oil tankers. These details added to doubts that hostilities had truly ended under the War Powers Resolution of 1973.

Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the move was expected. Smith questioned whether the administration would follow the law. Smith told The Associated Press: \"Is the expectation that the Trump administration is going to follow the law? I do not have that expectation.\" The letter left the legal dispute unresolved.

With inputs from PTI