&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Hostilities have terminated': Trump tells Congress ahead of War Powers deadline")
US President Donald Trump on Friday (May 1) informed congressional leaders that ‘hostilities’ with Iran have officially ‘terminated’, addressing a key 60-day deadline under a law designed to limit unauthorised military action. "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," Trump wrote in nearly identical letters to House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Senator Chuck Grassley, the president pro tempore of the Senate. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated."
The issue revives a long-standing constitutional debate. The framers of the US Constitution granted Congress the authority to declare war, and nearly 250 years later, that power is once again under scrutiny. At the center of the matter is the War Powers Resolution, enacted after the Vietnam War to limit presidential war-making powers and ensure congressional oversight of extended military engagements. As the conflict with Iran reached a critical juncture, the law’s scope and ambiguities have been tested in real time.
The conflict started on February 28, when US forces, alongside Israel, launched large-scale strikes on Iranian targets, triggering a broader regional escalation. In response, Iran retaliated, global energy markets faced disruption, and the Republican-controlled Congress showed reluctance to assert its constitutional authority. Under the War Powers Resolution, a president can initiate military action without prior approval but must notify Congress within 48 hours and end hostilities within 60 days unless lawmakers grant an extension.
That 60-day deadline, triggered by Trump’s March 2 notification, expired on Friday, intensifying political tensions in Washington. An increasing number of Republican lawmakers have called on the administration to scale back operations against Iran. Others are reportedly working on legislation that would formally authorise the use of military force, effectively sidestepping the debate over the War Powers Resolution.
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Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
