US President Donald Trump’s administration insisted the United States is “not at war” with Iran, even as the conflict has reached a critical legal threshold under the war powers resolution, setting up a potential showdown between the White House and Congress.House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that congressional authorization is not needed at this stage, arguing that the US is not engaged in active hostilities.“I don’t think we have an active, dynamic military bombing, shooting or anything like that. Right now, we’re trying to maintain peace,” Johnson told NBC News at the Capitol.When pressed on the 60-day deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which falls on Friday, he was blunt. “We are not at war.”
60-day war powers deadline sparks legal debate
The comments come as the military conflict with Iran approaches the 60-day limit set by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which states that the President must withdraw US forces from hostilities within 60 days unless Congress authorizes action.Trump formally notified Congress of the military operation on March 2, making May 1 the key deadline. With no authorization passed so far, the situation creates the possibility of a constitutional impasse.The law allows presidents to ask for a 30-day extension, though it’s unclear whether Trump intends to invoke that provision.A senior White House official said administration leaders and lawmakers are in “active conversations” about how to proceed, adding that any lawmakers opposing the authorization “will only weaken the United States military abroad.”
Ceasefire claim at the center of the administration’s argument
Central to the administration’s position is the claim that the armistice with Iran effectively stops the war powers’ clock.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers during a Senate hearing that the pause in fighting changes the legal calculation.“I would follow the advice of the White House and the White House on this,” Hegseth said. “However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which from our understanding means the 60-day clock stops or stops in a ceasefire.”However, that interpretation has been challenged by Democrats, who argue that the statute does not support stopping the term limits.Senator Tim Kaine responded, “I don’t believe the legislation would support it.”He added, “I think the 60 days will probably be up tomorrow and that’s going to raise a really important legal question for the administration there.”
Trump’s stance on ‘war’ has changed
Even though his administration maintains that the US is not formally at war, Trump himself has used different language to describe the conflict since it began.Announcing the initial strikes on February 28, he said, “Courageous American heroes may lose their lives, and we may suffer casualties. “This happens often in war.”On March 9 he said, “I think the war is very complete, almost.” A few days later, he described the operation as “both a war” and a “little excursion”.Later in March, Trump suggested he could avoid calling it a war because you “have to get approval” from Congress.Despite this, he said in mid-April, “I had to go to war.”In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday, he again reflected on the ambiguity, saying, “The stock market just hit a new high during a war, or military operation, whatever you want to call it.”
Background of conflict and rising costs
The current conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran, targeting Tehran and other locations. Iran retaliated by attacking US bases and Israeli targets in the region, while also disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to rise sharply.Much damage has already been done in the fighting. Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III told the House Armed Services Committee that the war has cost $25 billion so far, with the administration planning to ask Congress for additional funding.Military leaders who testified before the panel did not indicate that the operation would end soon, suggesting that US involvement could continue despite the ceasefire.
Democrats back down, warn of legal violations
Democrats have consistently raised concerns that the administration is on shaky legal ground and could violate the War Powers Resolution if hostilities are not formally ended or authorized.Senator Adam Schiff, who introduced a resolution calling for a halt to the conflict, said, “Some of my colleagues have indicated that the 60-day limit of the War Powers Act is the moment when they might join our efforts to bring this war to its conclusion. That time has come.”He said, “After a two-month war, thirteen service members lost their lives and billions of dollars wasted, it is time we recognize that the price we have paid is already too high.”Despite such efforts, any attempt to block the administration’s actions faces significant obstacles. Even if a proposal passes the Senate, it would need approval from the Republican-controlled House and could ultimately be vetoed by Trump.
uncertain path ahead
The War Powers Resolution has historically struggled to constrain presidential military action, with courts often avoiding intervention and disputes resolved through political negotiations.For now, the Trump administration is willing to rely on its interpretation that the ceasefire stops the legal clock, even though critics argue that the deadline remains binding.With the May 1 deadline approaching and no clear resolution in sight, the question of whether the United States is formally at war with Iran is likely to remain at the center of an intense legal and political debate.