Trump Declares Iran Hostilities “Terminated” to Dodge War Powers Act Deadline

Donald Trump is trying to rewrite the rules of war — again. In a letter dated May 1, 2026, sent to top Republican congressional leaders, Trump declared that hostilities with Iran have “terminated,” effectively claiming that the 60-day deadline to seek congressional approval under the War Powers Act no longer applies. The letter, obtained by The Guardian, asserts that a ceasefire ordered on April 7 has paused all fighting, thus pausing the legal clock.

This is a dangerous and legally dubious interpretation of the War Powers Act, which requires the president to get congressional authorization to continue military actions beyond 60 days unless Congress declares war or grants specific approval. Trump’s unilateral decision to launch strikes against Iran on February 28, 2026, sparked this countdown. Now, by calling a ceasefire and claiming hostilities have ended, Trump aims to dodge oversight and keep the war going without accountability.

Trump’s dismissal of the War Powers Act as “totally unconstitutional” and his refusal to seek congressional approval echoes a troubling pattern of executive overreach. As he left the White House on Friday, Trump boasted that “nobody’s ever asked for it before,” ignoring the constitutional mandate that checks presidential war powers.

Democratic leaders and legal experts have roundly condemned this maneuver. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the war “illegal” and accused Republicans of complicity in allowing it to continue unchecked. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, highlighted that tens of thousands of U.S. troops remain in harm’s way and that the conflict continues to disrupt global oil markets and American households.

The American Civil Liberties Union weighed in with a letter to the White House, warning that the War Powers Resolution contains no “pause” or “reset” buttons. The ACLU called the ongoing conflict “an illegal war” and expressed “profound concern” over the administration’s disregard for congressional authority.

Even within the administration, voices like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee struggled to justify Trump’s stance. Hegseth claimed the 60-day clock “pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” a point sharply contested by Senator Tim Kaine, who called the war “serious constitutional concerns.”

On the legislative front, Senate Republicans once again blocked a Democratic war powers resolution aimed at ending the Iran conflict, allowing Trump’s unauthorized military campaign to proceed.

Despite Trump’s earlier claims that the war would end “very soon,” his letter signals the opposite. He acknowledged the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its proxies and pledged continued military adjustments in the region.

This latest gambit is not just a legal technicality — it’s a flagrant power grab that undermines the constitutional balance, puts American service members at risk, and prolongs a conflict with no clear strategy or authorization. Congress must reclaim its war powers before more damage is done.