Trump Tells Congress Iran Hostilities Have Terminated as 60-Day War Powers Deadline Ends

President Donald Trump told Congress on Friday that hostilities with Iran have “terminated” as he hit a legal deadline tied to the 1973 War Powers Resolution, according to The Washington Post and BBC reporting.

“Trump administration says its war in Iran has been ‘terminated’ before 60-day deadline Trump administration says its war in Iran has been ‘terminated’ before 60-day deadline WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval”

AP News

The BBC said the law requires a president to “terminate any use of United States Armed Forces” in Iran 60 days after notifying Congress of the start of the war unless lawmakers vote to continue the conflict.

AP News

The BBC also reported that Friday marked the 60th day since 28 February, when the administration notified lawmakers of the strikes against Tehran, and that Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth argued the deadline clock paused when a ceasefire went into effect.

NBC News quoted House Speaker Mike Johnson saying the United States is currently “not at war,” adding, “We’re policing the Strait of Hormuz and trying to get a peace.”

The AP reported that the Trump administration is arguing the war has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, and that a senior administration official said for War Powers Resolution purposes, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.”

In the same AP account, the administration’s position is that because the ceasefire has meant no exchange of fire since April 7, the White House can avoid seeking congressional approval.

The dispute is playing out while the U.S. Navy maintains a blockade, with the AP saying Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea.

The core legal fight is over whether the War Powers Resolution clock can be paused or treated as ended by a ceasefire, with multiple outlets describing competing interpretations.

The BBC said Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth contend that the deadline clock paused when the current ceasefire went into effect, sparking debate about whether the truce counts towards the 60-day deadline.

BBC

NBC News similarly reported that when pressed about the 60-day deadline, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “we are in a ceasefire right now, which, our understanding, means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire.”

The AP described the administration’s rationale as tied to the ceasefire that began in early April and said the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days.

In contrast, the AP quoted Sen. Susan Collins saying, “That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” and she added that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close.”

The AP also quoted Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program, saying the administration’s interpretation would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” and that “nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated.”

The Guardian’s live coverage framed Democrats’ reaction to Trump’s “terminated” claim as a direct challenge to the administration’s position, quoting Chuck Schumer’s response: “That’s bullshit.”

As the deadline approached, Politico reported that GOP unity over the Iran war started to crack when Sen. Susan Collins of Maine voted with Democrats to halt the conflict, marking “the first time a Republican has changed their vote on the military campaign in the Middle East.”

“Oil prices fell Friday after Iran sent an updated peace proposal to mediators in Pakistan, raising hopes again that a settlement with the U”

CNBC

Politico said the vote failed in a 47-50 tally, with only Collins and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky joining Democrats, and it described Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the lone Democrat to oppose the effort.

Politico quoted Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying on the Senate floor, “Time’s up,” and it described Collins as saying ahead of the vote, “I have said from the very beginning that the law is definitive that at 60 days, Congress has to either authorize or block the military hostilities.”

The BBC added that Trump insisted he doesn’t need congressional authorisation, arguing past commanders-in-chief didn’t seek such approval, and it quoted Trump saying, “So many presidents, as you know, have gone and exceeded it,” and “It’s never been used. It’s never been adhered to.”

The Guardian reported that Democrats called Trump’s letter claiming Iran hostilities “terminated” “BS,” quoting Schumer’s post: “This is an illegal war and every day Republicans remain complicit and allow it to continue is another day lives are endangered, chaos erupts, and prices increase, all while Americans foot the bill.”

The Guardian also quoted Jeanne Shaheen saying Trump’s declaration “doesn’t reflect the reality that tens of thousands of U.S. service members in the region are still in harm’s way,” and it said the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

NBC News described House Speaker Mike Johnson’s position as reluctance to involve Congress during “very sensitive negotiations,” with Johnson telling NBC News, “I would be very reluctant to get in front of the administration in the midst of these very sensitive negotiations.”

Beyond the legal fight, the reporting also highlights a parallel dispute over the war’s cost and the accuracy of internal assessments.

Al Jazeera net reported that the debate over the cost estimates is accelerating, saying CBS News revealed that the real cost of the war with Iran approaches $50 billion, roughly double the estimate mentioned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kin before Congress.

CNN

Al Jazeera net said CBS News, citing a Pentagon official, put estimates of the cost of Operation “Epic Rage” at about $25 billion, and it added that this figure does not fully include the cost of equipment damaged or destroyed, or American military facilities that were damaged.

The same Al Jazeera net account said the report notes the destruction of 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones, each costing $30 million or more, illustrating how quickly financial losses accumulate.

It also said CNN raised questions about the Pentagon’s announced assessments and reported that CNN said the real cost is closer to $40–$50 billion when including rebuilding U.S. military facilities and replacing destroyed equipment.

The New York Times, in its account of Republicans growing impatient as the war reaches its 60-day mark, said lawmakers are bracing to be asked to approve a request “in the tens of billions of dollars or higher” to pay for the conflict.

In the same NBC News reporting, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III testified that the war has cost $25 billion so far and that the Trump administration planned to make a request to Congress for supplemental funding for the war.

As the 60-day threshold passes, the reporting shows uncertainty about whether Trump will seek a 30-day extension or instead rely on the administration’s “terminated” interpretation.

“(CNN) A law dating back to the Vietnam War era requires Congress to approve a war with Iran after 60 days of hostilities, but the main problem is that lawmakers have not agreed on when the war against Iran would begin and therefore when this period would expire”

CNN Arabic

CNBC reported that Trump faces a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution related to military action in the Iran war, and it said the administration argued on Friday that a ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities, allowing the White House to avoid seeking congressional approval.

CNN Arabic

CNBC also said the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, and that Trump formally notified Congress on March 2, starting the 60-day clock and setting up a May 1 deadline.

It reported that Trump could seek a 30-day extension under the law but has not done so, according to lawmakers, while also stating that tensions remain elevated because Trump vowed to maintain the U.S. blockade on Iran until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal.

The New York Times described Republicans growing impatient as the war reaches its 60-day mark, saying some lawmakers are calling for Congress to restrain the president’s war power or set terms for bringing the conflict to a close.

The BBC added that the off-ramp from the conflict is unclear because Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked over control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme.

The AP said the administration’s interpretation would allow the White House to avoid seeking congressional approval, but it also noted that Democrats have pushed for formal approval and that the 60-day mark would likely have been a turning point for a swath of Republican lawmakers.