Trump Administration Says Ceasefire Terminates War Powers Deadline for Iran War

The Trump administration has told Congress that a key May 1 deadline to secure approval for the US-Israel war on Iran no longer applies because the ongoing ceasefire has “terminated” the relevant “hostilities,” even as the US military presence in the region continues.

In a letter described by PBS, President Donald Trump wrote that “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” and he sent the message to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate president pro tempore Chuck Grassley.

ABC News

The dispute centers on the War Powers Resolution of 1973, under which Congress must declare war or authorize the use of force within 60 days, with Friday described as the deadline in multiple reports.

Al Jazeera framed the legal fight as a question of whether the “60-day clock pauses, or stops” during a ceasefire, noting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers at a Senate hearing that the truce effectively paused the countdown.

BBC similarly reported that Hegseth said, “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” while also noting that Friday was the 60th day since Trump notified Congress on 2 March.

The Washington Post described Friday as “a significant moment” with President Donald Trump facing a key deadline to end the fighting or extend it under the War Powers Resolution.

In parallel, CBS News reported that oil prices spiked as the legal deadline approached, with Brent crude briefly topping $126 a barrel on Thursday, and it tied the market reaction to stalled US-Iran talks and doubts about reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Across the reporting, the administration’s position is that the War Powers clock has effectively stopped because hostilities have ended with the ceasefire, while critics argue the statute does not allow for a pause once the 60-day period begins.

Al Jazeera said the Trump administration argued that a “key May 1 deadline” “no longer matters because of the ongoing ceasefire with Tehran,” and it described Hegseth’s claim that “the 60-day clock pauses, or stops” during a pause in fighting.

Al Jazeera

The same Al Jazeera report quoted a Reuters-published administration line that “For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated,” and it added that “There has been no exchange of fire between US Armed Forces and Iran since Tuesday, April 7.”

BBC reported that a senior administration official said, “For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28 have terminated,” and it described the administration’s emphasis on a ceasefire “since early April” and “no exchange of fire between the US and Iran since 7 April.”

The Hill’s account similarly described a senior Trump administration official telling NewsNation that “forWar Powers Resolution purposes,” the operation was already “terminated” following the ceasefire deal reached between the U.S. and Iran.

But Democratic lawmakers and legal experts challenged the interpretation, with BBC quoting Georgetown University Law professor Prof Heather Brandon-Smith saying, “Hostilities have not ceased. The US has instituted a blockade of Iranian ports. This is an act of war. This is hostility.”

PBS described the White House assertion as “bold but legally questionable,” and it said the letter “effectively skirts a May 1 legal deadline.”

The legal argument played out in Senate hearings where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the administration’s reading of the War Powers Resolution while Democratic senators pressed for a different interpretation.

BBC reported that during questioning from Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, Hegseth said, “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” and Kaine replied, “I do not believe the statute would support that.”

Politico described Kaine warning Hegseth that “We have serious constitutional concerns here,” and it said Kaine argued the law requires the White House either to begin withdrawing troops on Friday or seek congressional approval.

Al Jazeera added that Hegseth told lawmakers the “60-day clock pauses, or stops” during a pause in fighting, and it described the administration’s broader claim that “the absence of active exchanges since early April means hostilities have effectively ceased.”

The Hill’s report included House Speaker Mike Johnson’s position, quoting him as saying, “I don’t think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that. Right now, we are trying to broker a peace,” and it also quoted Johnson’s claim that the U.S. is “not at war” with Iran.

Notus quoted Johnson similarly, and it also included a direct exchange with Kaine where Hegseth said, “We are in a ceasefire right now, which in our understanding means the 60-day clock stops,” before Kaine responded, “I do not believe the statute would support that.”

The Hill also described Susan Collins’s view, quoting her statement that “The president's authority as commander in chief is not without limits,” and it emphasized that the 60-day deadline is “not a suggestion; it is a requirement.”

While the core facts of the deadline dispute were shared, the outlets framed the story through different focal points: legal mechanics, political maneuvering, or the broader regional and economic backdrop.

The Washington Post centered the moment on the War Powers deadline and the question of how the White House will respond as Congress begins a week-long recess, describing Friday as “a significant moment” and emphasizing that it’s “unclear how the White House will address repeated demands by congressional Democrats that it halt the war.”

Al Jazeera

PBS foregrounded the White House letter itself, describing it as asserting that hostilities “have ‘terminated’ despite the continued presence of U.S. armed forces in the region,” and it said the message “effectively skirts a May 1 legal deadline.”

BBC focused on the ceasefire’s legal implications and the unanswered question of whether a deal is closer, reporting that Trump told reporters, “We just had a conversation with Iran. Let's see what happens. But, I would say that I am not happy.”

Al Jazeera emphasized the administration’s argument that the deadline “no longer matters” due to the ceasefire and also included a reported suggestion by Richard Goldberg that the administration could “transition to a new operation” called “Epic Passage,” which he said would be “a mission of self-defence focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action.”

Politico highlighted the immediate objections from Democratic lawmakers and described the Senate as set to vote for a sixth time on war powers legislation, while it stressed that the ceasefire doesn’t change the legal deadline because the US is still blockading Iran’s ports.

CBS News, by contrast, tied the deadline to economic signals, reporting that Brent crude briefly topped $126 a barrel and that gas prices hit $4.39 a gallon in the U.S. on Friday, while it also described the war’s cost as “closer to $50 billion.”

The immediate consequence of the deadline dispute is that the White House has asserted termination of “hostilities,” while Congress and lawmakers continue to press for authorization or withdrawal under the War Powers Resolution.

“The Donald Trump administration has argued that a key May 1 deadline it faces to secure congressional approval for the US-Israel war on Iran no longer matters because of the ongoing ceasefire with Tehran”

Al Jazeera

PBS reported that Trump’s letter “effectively skirts a May 1 legal deadline” and that it came as Congress had “leaving town Thursday for a week after the Senate rejected a Democratic attempt to halt the war for a sixth time.”

Al Jazeera

The Hill similarly described that two GOP lawmakers, Susan Collins and Rand Paul, joined Democrats in a resolution vote to force withdrawal, but it was defeated by three votes, including one from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.

Politico said the Senate was set to vote for a sixth time on war powers legislation to cut off military operations against Iran, coming a day before the conflict reaches the 60-day mark on Friday.

Meanwhile, the administration’s messaging continued to emphasize that the ceasefire has paused the clock, with Al Jazeera describing Hegseth’s claim that “the 60-day clock pauses, or stops” and with BBC quoting the administration’s view that the hostilities “terminated” with the ceasefire.

But the stakes extend beyond the legal deadline: CBS News reported that oil prices spiked and that gas prices rose, while it also said the war is “closer to $50 billion,” and it tied the economic pressure to the Strait of Hormuz being “all but closed” and the U.S. continuing its blockade of Iranian ports.

Finally, the political and legal fight is likely to continue because multiple outlets described disagreement among Republicans as well: PBS quoted Senate Majority Leader John Thune saying he did not plan on a vote, while the same PBS report included Sen. Kevin Cramer questioning whether the War Powers Resolution is constitutional and Sen. Todd Young saying lawmakers “must ensure” Congress weighs in if conflict resumes.