Trump administration argues Iran war ended, avoids War Powers vote as lawmakers push back
The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of a ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advanced during Senate testimony and that a senior administration official tied to the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day requirement.
At issue is whether the White House must seek congressional approval for U.S. military action that extends beyond 60 days. Under the War Powers Resolution, President Donald Trump had until Friday to seek authorization or cease fighting, with the statute allowing an extension of that deadline by 30 days.
An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the administration’s legal position, said for purposes of the 1973 law that “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.” The official said the U.S. military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the ceasefire that began April 7, which has been extended even as maritime pressure continues.
Even with the ceasefire extended, Iran maintains what the administration described as its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade intended to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea. Senate Democrats and some Republicans have pressed the administration for formal approval of the Iran war, viewing the 60-day mark as a potential turning point for lawmakers who backed temporary action but insisted on congressional buy-in for anything longer.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., questioned Hegseth about the timeline, saying Hegseth “advanced a very novel argument that I’ve never heard before” and that the defense secretary’s position “certainly has no legal support.” In response to the administration’s interpretation, Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program, said the argument would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” tied to the War Powers law.
Ebright said “To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated.” She also said lawmakers should push back against administration efforts to characterize the military action as not qualifying under the statute, a line she contrasted with prior arguments by other presidents that certain operations were intermittent or not intense enough.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also weighed in on the deadline as lawmakers debated an end to the military action without congressional approval. “That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” Collins said, adding that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close.”
Richard Goldberg, a former National Security Council director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction during Trump’s first term, said he has recommended that officials transition to a new operation rather than treat the ceasefire as ending the legal clock. Goldberg suggested the new mission could be called “Epic Passage,” describing it as “a mission of self-defense focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.” As one other administration option, Goldberg said, “That to me solves it all.”
MSI previously reported that Trump told Congress Iran war hostilities have “terminated” in line with the same hostilities-termination argument as lawmakers continued to demand congressional authorization as the War Powers deadline approached.