Congress “pressuring” the president as the 60-day deadline nears, a senior U.S. official says hostilities against Iran have ended

Although senior officials in the Trump administration claim that “hostilities have ended,” the U.S. blockade targeting the Strait of Hormuz has not stopped, and the U.S. Secretary of Defense even vowed that there is no need for congressional authorization to continue actions…

The legal authorization issue surrounding the Iran conflict within the U.S. government is heating up. According to CCTV News, on April 30 local time, a senior U.S. government official who did not wish to be named said that under the War Powers Act, “the hostilities that began on February 28 have ended.”

The official said that the two-week ceasefire reached between the U.S. and Iran on April 7 has been extended. “Since April 7, there has been no firefight between U.S. forces and Iran.”

These remarks were made as less than a month remained until the 60-day final deadline on May 1. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, unless the U.S. Congress formally declares war or grants authorization, the president must gradually stop using force within 60 days after deploying troops into the conflict, with an additional 30-day grace period reserved for troops to withdraw. On February 28, the United States and Israel began attacks on Iran, and by Friday, it was exactly 60 days since Trump notified Congress of launching military action.

On April 8, under Pakistan’s mediation, the two sides announced a ceasefire, and then held talks in Islamabad but failed to reach an agreement. At Pakistan’s request, Trump later unilaterally extended the ceasefire agreement without setting a new deadline. At the same time, Trump continued to impose a blockade on Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying one-fifth of global oil shipment volume.

Some Republican lawmakers break ranks to challenge the president’s authority

As the conflict is set to enter its third month, oil prices continue to rise amid ongoing uncertainty about the situation, and pressure on the Trump administration keeps growing. A handful of Republican lawmakers have begun directly challenging this president’s authority to push forward a conflict that is becoming increasingly unpopular.

John Curtis, a first-term Republican senator from Utah, had already called on lawmakers on Thursday to invoke the War Powers Resolution. He said, “With the 60-day deadline approaching, it’s time for both the government and Congress to make a decision.” He also said he is holding “in-depth discussions” with colleagues in the Senate and the White House in an effort to find a “way forward that respects each side’s constitutional roles.”

Curtis emphasized that Trump’s power as commander in chief is “absolutely not without limits,” and pointed out that “the Constitution grants Congress a core role in deciding issues of war and peace, and the War Powers Resolution draws a clear 60-day red line, requiring Congress to either formally authorize it or end the U.S.’s involvement in overseas hostilities.”

That same day, Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine also chose to break with party lines, voting in support of a resolution calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Iran conflict alongside all but one Democratic senator. The bill ultimately failed to pass in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. Curtis cast a no vote on the resolution, but still expressed clear concern about presidential authority.

Defense secretary says war has long been paused

However, on Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin presented the government’s central argument to senators: the government does not need congressional authorization to continue the conflict because the ceasefire has paused the 60-day countdown. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “On Iran, ultimately I will listen to the White House and its legal counsel. But right now, we are in a ceasefire, and as we understand it, that means the 60-day clock has been paused or stopped during the ceasefire.”

This position was strongly questioned by Democratic senators. Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters that the government appears determined to “illegally and extremely unwise[ly] forcefully push through the 60-day red line.”

Meanwhile, the White House criticized those raising questions while defending presidential authority. According to reports from foreign media, a White House official said the administration is “engaging in active dialogue with Capitol Hill on this issue,” but added that “some members of Congress are trying to seize political capital by usurping the commander-in-chief’s authority, and that approach would only weaken the U.S. military’s ability to conduct operations abroad—any elected official should not do something like that.”

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “Before the ‘Operation Epic Fury’ began, President Trump maintained full transparency with Capitol Hill. Government officials have briefed bipartisan members of Congress more than 30 times to ensure they stay up to date on the latest military developments.” She added, “The president’s first preference is always to pursue diplomatic channels, and Iran also hopes to reach a deal.”

Despite a small number of dissenting voices, the overwhelming majority of Republican lawmakers still are unwilling to openly challenge Trump’s statutory authority. Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters that he needs to further “analyze” the specific legal provisions of the 60-day deadline, but for now “will not contradict Austin’s view.” Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida also stated plainly, “The president has the authority to use the military to defend the freedom of this country.”