Trump’s Friday letter to congressional leaders came as Republicans and Democrats pressed over whether the president must seek congressional approval to keep using U.S. forces in a conflict that began late February. The White House message asserted that the “hostilities” period had ended even as the United States maintained armed forces in the region, setting up a direct clash over how the 1973 War Powers Resolution applies when lawmakers say war continues in practice.
In the letter, President Donald Trump wrote House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who serves as Senate president pro tempore, that “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” Trump also told lawmakers the conflict’s legal deadlines should not be treated as still running, while describing the broader security backdrop as unresolved. He added that “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.”
The War Powers Resolution sets a timeline for congressional action after a president introduces U.S. forces into hostilities. Under the law, Congress must declare war or authorize the use of force within 60 days, or within 90 days if the president requests an extension; Friday was the 60-day deadline in this case. The letter sent before that date effectively sidestepped the deadline that lawmakers had been urging Republicans to enforce, leaving in place the question of whether Congress’s failure to act ends the dispute—or simply preserves the administration’s argument.
For some Republicans, the letter sharpened concerns about how far the president could go without authorization. While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Thursday he did not plan a vote to authorize force in Iran or weigh in on the issue yet, he described the political calculus as tied to what members of the conference are saying. Other GOP lawmakers signaled they are looking at constitutional questions and potential conditions under which they would press for congressional involvement if the conflict’s posture changes.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said he would vote for an authorization of war if Trump asked for it, but he questioned whether the War Powers Resolution passed during the Vietnam War era was constitutional. “Our founders created a really strong executive, like it or not like it,” Cramer said, framing his position around the structure of executive power. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., meanwhile said lawmakers “must ensure that the people, through their elected representatives, weigh in on whether to send our military into combat,” and he argued that if the conflict resumes, he expects the White House to work with Congress to pass an authorization.
Several senators who have discussed a congressional role said they were waiting for developments. Sens. John Curtis of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Josh Hawley of Missouri, among others, have at times indicated they would like to see a vote, with Curtis saying he would not support continued funding for the war until Congress votes to authorize it. Thune also suggested the White House could help its case by increasing outreach and briefings with lawmakers, pointing to a need for regular readouts from military leadership to “shape” members’ views.
On the administration side, top officials have argued that the clock has already stopped because the United States is operating under a ceasefire. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a congressional hearing Thursday, “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means, the 60-day clock pauses or stops.” The administration’s position has continued even as Iran maintained control of the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. Navy maintained a blockade designed to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from departing, according to the reporting.
Trump echoed the ceasefire-based reasoning on Friday and also argued that other presidents had treated similar legal situations as not requiring congressional approval. “Every other president considered it totally unconstitutional, and we agree with that,” Trump said at the White House as he departed for Florida, according to the report. Democrats rejected the administration’s framing, saying the law offers no pause for the Constitution. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote on social media that “There’s no pause button in the Constitution, or the War Powers Act,” and said “The blockade alone is a continuing act of war.”
House Armed Services Committee ranking Democrat Adam Smith told The Associated Press he expected no compliance with the War Powers Resolution. “Is the expectation that the Trump administration is going to follow the law? I do not have that expectation,” Smith said, after the dispute became clearer that the White House would treat the May 1 deadline differently than lawmakers demanding authorization.