War Powers Act Iran: Trump Declares Hostilities 'Terminated' to Dodge 60-Day Deadline

# War Powers Act Iran: Trump Declares Hostilities 'Terminated' to Dodge 60-Day Deadline

> **Quick answer:** On May 1, 2026 — the exact 60-day mark since the Iran war began — President Trump sent Congress a letter declaring hostilities had "terminated" due to a ceasefire, effectively sidestepping the War Powers Resolution's requirement for congressional authorization. Legal scholars called the argument legally baseless, and Congress departed for recess without taking action, leaving a major constitutional question unresolved.

The War Powers Act Iran deadline arrived May 1, 2026, and the Trump administration had a ready answer: the war is technically over. Trump declared that hostilities with Iran have "terminated," invoking an ongoing ceasefire to argue Congress no longer needs to vote — a move constitutional law experts are calling legally indefensible and a dangerous precedent for executive war-making power.

## What the War Powers Act Requires — and What Happened on May 1

The 1973 War Powers Resolution gives presidents a 60-day window to conduct military operations without congressional approval. After 60 days, the president must either receive an authorization for use of military force (AUMF) from Congress or withdraw troops. The clock started when Trump notified Congress on March 2, 2026, that hostilities with Iran began on February 28.

May 1 was the hard deadline.