- US-Iran ceasefire sparks legal clash over war deadline
- Trump Administration says May 1 war approval deadline no longer applies
- Lawmakers, experts reject claim as Congress faces critical decision
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims hostilities have ceased, but lawmakers say US forces remain active despite halted air attacks.
A legal and political dispute has intensified in the United States over whether the May 1 deadline for congressional approval of military action against Iran still applies, following a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Under the War Powers Resolution, the US president must secure approval from Congress within 60 days of entering hostilities or withdraw forces. In this case, the deadline falls on May 1. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has argued that the ongoing ceasefire has effectively paused the countdown, claiming the absence of active combat halts the legal requirement.
The Trump administration maintains that since direct exchanges of fire have largely stopped since early April, the situation no longer qualifies as “hostilities,” and therefore the deadline may not apply. Some officials have even suggested restructuring the military mission under a new name to bypass the legal constraint.
This interpretation has been strongly rejected by Democratic lawmakers and legal experts, who insist the law contains no provision allowing the deadline to be paused. They argue that US forces remain active in the region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions persist despite the ceasefire, Al-Jazeera reports.
Members of Congress have warned that the 60-day limit is mandatory, not optional, emphasizing that any continued military involvement without approval would violate the law. Legal experts also stress that a ceasefire does not erase existing obligations under the War Powers Resolution.
With Congress unlikely to authorize extended military action due to political divisions, the issue remains unresolved, raising uncertainty over the legal basis of continued US operations and the potential for renewed conflict.
