Trump Claims Hostilities Have Ended in Iran to Bypass Congressional Approval

President Donald Trump formally notified congressional leaders on May 1, 2026, that hostilities with Iran have terminated, a move that allows the administration to bypass a critical legal deadline requiring congressional approval for the use of military force.

In nearly identical letters sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, the president argued that the fighting had ended following a ceasefire that began in early April. The notification arrived as the administration faced the 60-day expiration mark set by the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when U.S. Forces, alongside Israel, launched large-scale strikes on Iranian targets. President Trump formally notified Congress of the action on March 2, triggering the statutory 60-day clock that reached its deadline on May 1.

The Ceasefire Argument

The administration’s legal position rests on the claim that a ceasefire ordered by the president on April 7, 2026, effectively halted the conflict. In his letters, Trump wrote that there has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026, and concluded that the hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have terminated.

This position was previously articulated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 30, 2026. Addressing questions from senators, Hegseth stated that the administration’s understanding was that the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire.

President Trump further dismissed the necessity of congressional authorization during a press gaggle on the White House south lawn on May 1, claiming that such approval is totally unconstitutional and has never been used by previous presidents.

Constitutional and Legal Dispute

The assertion that a ceasefire pauses the War Powers Resolution has met strong resistance from Democratic lawmakers. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he did not believe the statute supported such an interpretation, noting that the May 1 deadline posed a really important legal question for the administration.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer described the administration’s argument as bullshit in a post on X. Critics and Democratic lawmakers have argued that the continuing U.S. Naval blockade of Iranian oil exports constitutes an ongoing hostility, regardless of the absence of direct fire.

Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a president must terminate the use of U.S. Armed Forces within 60 days of notifying Congress, unless lawmakers formally declare war or grant a specific authorization. The law allows for a 30-day extension if the president certifies an unavoidable military necessity for the safety of the forces, but the administration did not seek such an extension in this instance.

Military and Regional Status

Despite the claim that hostilities have terminated, the U.S. Maintains a significant military presence in the region. More than 50,000 service members remain deployed in the Middle East. President Trump acknowledged in his letters that the threat posed by Iran to the United States and our Armed Forces remains significant.

The U.S. Also continues to enforce a naval blockade of Iran, which has severely limited Tehran’s ability to sell oil, primarily to China. This blockade has contributed to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, causing disruptions to global energy markets.

In response to the ongoing pressure, Iran’s Supreme Leader Moshtaba Kamani vowed on April 30, 2026, to protect the country’s missile and nuclear capabilities, as well as its control over the strait. Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the U.S. Was attempting to weaken the regime from within through economic pressure and the naval blockade.

The Trump administration has indicated it will continue to direct U.S. Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations, as stated in the president’s letters to congressional leaders.