Iran-US war ‘terminated’? Trump administration's move to sidestep 60-day deadline sparks debate

The Donald Trump administration has declared its military engagement in Iran "terminated" ahead of a critical 60-day deadline, a move that sidesteps the need for congressional authorisation.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier said that this ceasefire, which started in early April, effectively put a halt to the conflict. Based on this interpretation, the administration argues it has not yet triggered the requirement under a 1973 law that mandates seeking formal approval from Congress for military actions extending beyond 60 days.

According to the US Constitution, only Congress, not the president, can declare war, but the rule does not apply for operations the administration projects as short-term or countering an immediate threat.

A senior official, speaking anonymously to AP on the administration's stance, indicated that for the purposes of this law, "the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb 28 have terminated". The official added that US forces and Iran have not engaged in any exchanges of fire since the two-week ceasefire began on April 7.

Despite the ongoing ceasefire, which has since been extended, Iran continues to exert control over the vital Strait of Hormuz. In response, the US Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iranian oil tankers from departing.

Under the War Powers Resolution, designed to limit presidential military power, US President Trump faced a deadline of Friday to either ensure congressional authorisation for continued action or cease hostilities. The law does permit an administration to extend this deadline by an additional 30 days.

Trump's Republican Party holds a narrow majority in both chambers of Congress. Democrats have tried to pass resolutions to force Trump to withdraw US forces or obtain congressional authorisation.

The impending 60-day mark was also anticipated to be a significant point for some Republican lawmakers who had supported temporary actions but insisted on congressional input for any prolonged military involvement.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine emphasised the mandatory nature of the deadline, saying, "That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement." She voted in favour of a measure to end military action in Iran since congressional approval had not been granted, adding that "further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close".

Richard Goldberg, a former director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction on the National Security Council, suggested that the administration transition to a new operation, potentially named "Epic Passage," as a follow-up to "Operation Epic Fury".

According to AP, Goldberg said that this new mission "would inherently be a mission of self-defence focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation".

During his Senate testimony, Secretary Hegseth said it was the administration's "understanding" that the 60-day clock was paused during the ceasefire period.

However, Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program and an expert on war powers, characterised this interpretation as a "sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship". AP quoted her as saying: "To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated."

Ebright pointed out that previous administrations have argued that their military actions were either not intense enough or too intermittent to fall under the War Powers Resolution. She concluded that the current situation in Iran does not fit such a description and that lawmakers should challenge the administration's arguments.