Trump Declares Hostilities with Iran ‘Terminated’

President Donald Trump told Congress on Friday that any effort to use the War Powers Act to rein in the strikes against Iran is irrelevant because he has declared that the conflict is over.

The 1973 War Powers Resolution says that a president is supposed to seek congressional authorization for a war if the conflict lasts longer than 60 days, according to NBC News.

The U.S. attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Trump notified Congress on March 2, which started the 60-day time period.

On Friday, Trump formally told Congress he does not need to submit anything for approval.

“On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” Trump wrote in documents sent to the House and Senate.

Trump did not answer whether there would be a phase two.

“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,” Trump wrote.

“I have and will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive,” he continued.

President Trump is apparently not going to abide by the 60-day limit for a president to get congressional approval for a war.

“Let me just tell you, on the war powers, so many presidents, as you know, have gone and exceeded it,” Mr. Trump said while departing the White House for… pic.twitter.com/LRRfXwzjf7

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 1, 2026

Trump later noted that the Vietnam War-era War Powers Act has minimal value in the real world.

“Let me just tell you, on the war powers, so many presidents, as you know, have gone and exceeded it,” Trump said as he left the White House on Friday to travel to Florida, according to a video posted to X.

“It’s never been used. It’s never been adhered to. And every other president considered it totally unconstitutional. And we agree with that.”

“But we’re always in touch with Congress. But, nobody’s ever sought it before; nobody’s ever asked for it before; it’s never been used before. Why should we be different?” Trump also said, according to The Hill.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth offered a nuanced interpretation of the War Powers Act’s timeline during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday.

“We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” Hegseth said.

Senate Democrats have failed six times to pass a War Powers resolution that would require military action in Iran to be halted until approval from Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that Congress needs to see how peace talks evolve before taking any action that might tie Trump’s hands.

“I don’t think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that. Right now, we are trying to broker a peace,” Johnson said.

“I would be very reluctant to get in front of the administration in the midst of these very sensitive negotiations, so we’ll have to see how that plays out,” he said.

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