US-Iran ceasefire puts Trump war powers deadline in dispute
Trump administration says the truce ended US-Iran hostilities, while Democrats argue the war powers clock cannot simply stop.
- The Trump administration claims a ceasefire with Iran has "terminated" hostilities, thereby stopping the 60-day countdown mandated by the War Powers Resolution.
- This interpretation allows President Trump to avoid a May 1 deadline that would have required him to end the military action or seek congressional approval to continue it.
- Democrats in Congress reject the administration's position, arguing that the War Powers Resolution does not contain any provision for pausing the 60-day clock due to a ceasefire.
A senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration said Thursday (April 30) that the US-Iran ceasefire that took effect in early April has “terminated” hostilities between the two countries under the War Powers Resolution, as a congressional deadline approached.
The assessment means Trump was unlikely to change the direction of the Iran war before Friday’s deadline, when he was required either to end the conflict, seek congressional approval, or justify more time.
“For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated,” the official said, explaining the administration’s position.
The official added that US forces and Iran have not exchanged fire since the fragile ceasefire began more than three weeks ago.
Before the administration’s view became clear, analysts and congressional aides had expected Trump either to inform Congress that he wanted a 30-day extension or to ignore the deadline by arguing that the truce had already ended the fighting.
Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a president has 60 days to conduct military action before stopping it, requesting authorisation from Congress, or seeking a 30-day extension based on “unavoidable military necessity” to protect US forces.
The war with Iran began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched airstrikes. Trump formally notified Congress 48 hours later, starting a 60-day countdown that expires on May 1.
At a Senate hearing on Thursday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he understood that the 60-day period had stopped during the ceasefire. Democrats rejected that interpretation, saying the law contains no such provision.
The US Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the authority to declare war. However, administrations have often argued that this restriction does not apply to brief operations or actions taken against an immediate threat.
Trump’s Republican Party controls both chambers of Congress by narrow margins. Since the war began, Democrats have attempted to pass measures requiring Trump to withdraw US forces or seek congressional authorisation, but Republicans have blocked them.
Iran answered the February 28 US-Israeli attacks with strikes of its own on Israel and Gulf states hosting American bases. US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed thousands and forced millions from their homes.
Reuters
