Washington — President Trump on Friday told congressional leaders that "hostilities" with Iran have "terminated," addressing a critical 60-day deadlineunder a law meant to limit the unauthorized use of military force.
"There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," the president wrote in nearly identical letters to House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, the president pro tempore of the Senate. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have terminated."
The framers of the Constitution gave Congress the power to declare war. Nearly two and a half centuries later, that authority is once again at the center of a political and constitutional storm.
At issue is the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a post-Vietnam statute intended to restrain presidential authority and ensure that prolonged military engagements receive congressional approval. But as the war with Iran enters a critical phase, the law’s limits — and its ambiguities — are being tested in real time.
The conflict began on Feb. 28, when U.S. forces, alongside Israel, launched large-scale strikes on Iranian targets, igniting a broader regional confrontation. In the weeks since, Iran has retaliated, global energy markets have been disrupted and the Republican-controlled Congress has been reluctant to assert its constitutional role.
Under the War Powers Resolution, the president may initiate military action without prior authorization but must notify Congress within 48 hours and terminate hostilities within 60 days unless lawmakers approve an extension. That 60-day clock, triggered by the president’s notification to lawmakers on March 2, reached its deadline on Friday — a moment that has sharpened tensions in Washington.
A growing number of Republican lawmakers have said the administration should begin winding down the Iran campaign. Some have said they are working on legislation to authorize the administration to use force against Iran, which would bypass the War Powers Resolution debate altogether.
Source:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-iran-war-powers-act-hostilities-terminated/