The Trump administration told Congress it does not need approval for the Iran campaign, saying active hostilities were “terminated” before the Iran War Powers deadline expired Friday.
The White House formally notified Congress of the deployment on March 2, starting the 60-day clock under the War Powers Resolution.
The 1973 law requires a president to withdraw US forces from hostilities after 60 days unless Congress authorises the operation or declares war.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate hearing Thursday that the administration viewed the current ceasefire as a pause or a stop to the deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson said separately, “We are not at war.”
US airstrikes stopped on April 7 after a ceasefire agreement, but American warships have continued blockading Iranian ports while Iran restricts trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
The State Department’s legal counsel has argued that current actions are part of a broader conflict with Iran dating back to 1979.
Read: Iran Strait of Hormuz Stance Hardens Amid US Pressure
Legal critics dispute the White House position, saying the War Powers Resolution applies while US forces remain engaged in hostilities, including naval blockades.
The administration has maintained the blockade and left open the possibility of future strikes if talks with Iran fail. No formal congressional vote has authorised the campaign.
