Just hours before a crucial deadline, the Trump administration argued the war in Iran has been effectively 'terminated' under the ongoing ceasefire, a claim that also stops the clock on a key deadline for congressional approval of ongoing actions in the conflict.
War Powers Resolution Deadline
Under the War Powers Resolution, President Donald Trump faced a 60-day clock expiring Friday, May 1, to either end the war in Iran or secure congressional approval to continue. A senior administration official told the Associated Press that the U.S. and Iran have not exchanged fire since April 7, and hostilities have been 'terminated.' A U.S. official also told Reuters: 'For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated.'
Earlier Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued the 60-day clock was paused under the ceasefire. 'We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,' he said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine replied, 'I do not believe the statute would support that. I think the 60 days runs maybe tomorrow, and it’s going to pose a really important legal question for the administration there.'
Senate Efforts to End the War
Senate Democrats tried and failed for a sixth time to end the Iran war by forcing a War Powers Resolution vote Thursday. 'After two months of war, 13 service members’ lives lost, and billions of dollars squandered, it is time we recognized that the price we have paid is already too high. We must say no to this unauthorized war of choice,' Democratic Senator Adam Schiff said in a statement.
Republican Senators Susan Collins and Rand Paul joined nearly every Democrat in supporting the measure. 'The Constitution gives Congress an essential role in decisions of war and peace, and the War Powers Act establishes a clear 60-day deadline for Congress to either authorize or end U.S. involvement in foreign hostilities. That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,' Collins said in a statement.
Still, many Republicans continue to defend Trump’s war with Iran. The president has 'the right to use the military to defend the freedom of this country,' Republican Senator Rick Scott told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Thursday night. When pressed about the cost of the war, Scott replied: 'How do you put a price tag on limiting somebody’s ability to kill you?'
Trump Claims Victory
The president has also claimed the U.S. 'already won' the war with Iran. 'We’ve already won, but I want to win by a bigger margin,' Trump told Newsmax’s Greta Van Susteren Thursday. 'But we have. We have destroyed their navy, destroyed their air force, destroyed all of their anti-aircraft equipment, their radar equipment, their leadership, their leadership is destroyed,' he continued.
The Independent has requested comment from the White House.
