Trump’s Iran War Hits a 60-Day Legal Wall; Hegseth Claims Ceasefire Stops the Clock

As the War Powers Act’s 60-day deadline arrives on May 1, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argues the ongoing US-Iran ceasefire has paused the countdown but lawmakers from both parties are pushing back hard, questioning whether the Trump administration still needs Congress to authorize the conflict.

A Ticking Clock Nobody Can Agree On

The US-Iran war has hit a legal crossroads and nobody in Washington seems to agree on what happens next. The 60-day deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution arrived on Friday, May 1. It marks the point where President Donald Trump needs congressional approval to keep US forces engaged in hostilities with Iran. But the Trump administration is not ready to ask for that approval just yet.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stepped before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. He made a bold claim the ongoing ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has effectively paused the 60-day countdown. “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops,” Hegseth told senators.

Where the 60-Day Deadline Comes From

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a Vietnam-era law built to keep presidents in check. Under it, a president must notify Congress within 48 hours of sending US forces into conflict. That notification starts a 60-day clock. Once it runs out without a congressional war declaration or authorization the president must withdraw US troops.

Trump formally informed congressional leaders of the Iran hostilities in a March 2 letter. That set Friday, May 1, as the expiration date. The law also allows a 30-day extension but only for safe withdrawal of forces, not to continue offensive operations.

Hegseth’s Ceasefire Argument Faces Immediate Pushback

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia a Democrat was quick to challenge Hegseth right there in the hearing room. “I do not believe the statute would support that,” Kaine shot back. He added that the deadline likely expires “maybe tomorrow,” and called it “a really important legal question for the administration.”

Legal experts are equally skeptical. Katherine Yon Ebright of the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program acknowledged the Office of Legal Counsel might try to argue the ceasefire paused the clock. But she was blunt “that is not something that by its text or by its design the War Powers Resolution accommodates.”

She did point to history, though. In 2011, the Obama administration argued it did not need approval for Libya airstrikes past the 60-day mark claiming those operations did not amount to “hostilities” under the law. Critics say the Trump team is playing a similar game now.

Republicans Divided, Democrats Furious

Within the Republican Party, fault lines are showing. House Speaker Mike Johnson took a relaxed stance telling NBC News that Congress doesn’t need to act right now because the US is “not at war.” “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,” Johnson said.

But Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina broke from that line of thinking. He said he felt the War Powers Resolution was clear Congress must take action within 60 days. He urged lawmakers to work with the administration on a formal Authorization for Use of Military Force once they returned from recess.

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins went even further she actually voted with Democrats on their latest War Powers measure. In a statement, Collins said, “The Constitution gives Congress an essential role in decisions of war and peace, and the War Powers Act establishes a clear 60-day deadline for Congress to either authorize or end US involvement in foreign hostilities.” She added “The upcoming 60-day deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement.”

Democrats have been forcing weekly Senate votes demanding Trump seek congressional authorization for the war. All six attempts have failed on the Senate floor. But Thursday marked a shift Collins and Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul both joined Democrats in voting yes, signaling the administration’s grip may be loosening.

Senator Adam Schiff of California a leading Democratic voice said he had no expectation Trump would comply with the law’s requirements. “It would require him to say he’s withdrawing forces over the 30-day period. And it’s hard for me to imagine that he is going to commit to that,” Schiff told CNN.

Ceasefire Holds But the War Isn’t Over

A ceasefire between the US and Iran took effect on April 8 following weeks of intense military exchanges under what the administration called “Operation Epic Fury.” The fighting largely stopped, but the broader conflict has not resolved. Peace talks stalled. Trump abruptly cancelled a second round of negotiations that was set for Islamabad, Pakistan.

Last week, Trump extended the ceasefire indefinitely. Yet tensions remain high. The Strait of Hormuz a critical global oil trade route remains largely closed. Iran has de facto halted ship traffic through the strait. The US responded with a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The result is a grinding economic standoff.

Iranian crude oil exports collapsed dramatically. Shipments leaving the Gulf of Oman between April 13 and April 25 fell to roughly four million barrels down more than 80% from March’s 23.4 million barrels. Some Iranian tankers switched off their tracking systems entirely.

Trump Says Iran Wants a Deal

Despite the deadlock, Trump remains publicly confident. Asked Thursday whether he was growing impatient with “stubborn” Iran and the stalled ceasefire, he pushed back. “I don’t know what stubborn is, because really nobody knows what the talks are, except myself and a couple of other people,” Trump said. “They want to make a deal badly.”

The White House said Trump was also set to receive a briefing Thursday from Admiral Brad Cooper the US Central Commander along with other senior military leaders on potential strike options against Iran.

Meanwhile, the White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly insisted the administration has been fully transparent with Congress. “President Trump has been transparent with the Hill since before Operation Epic Fury began, and administration officials provided over 30 bipartisan briefings for members of Congress,” Kelly said. She added “The President’s preference is always diplomacy, and Iran wants to make a deal.”

Kelly warned that any lawmakers attempting to curb the president’s war authority were playing politics. “Members of Congress who try to score political points by usurping the Commander-in-Chief’s authority would only undermine the United States Military abroad,” she said.

What Happens Next

With no deal in sight and a legal deadline now upon the administration, the coming days will be pivotal. Congress is heading into a week-long recess making any immediate vote on war authorization unlikely. The 60-day clock, disputed or not, has run out. And the Trump administration’s next move whether to seek congressional approval, invoke a legal workaround, or restart military operations could define the trajectory of the entire conflict.