Trump seeks to deflate Iran authorization push by telling Congress war is over

President Donald Trump notified Hill leaders on Friday, the 60th day of the Iran war, that US hostilities with Tehran are over — for now — and thus don’t need congressional authorization.

It’s a significant message to Republican lawmakers who have grown increasingly anxious and, in some cases, open to a debate over Trump’s authority to continue the conflict under the War Powers Act. That statute requires Trump to seek authorization from Congress to continue the war after 60 days, or to notify lawmakers of a 30-day withdrawal period.

Instead, Trump sent a letter outlining “changes in the posture” of US forces in the region, confirming the administration’s plans to reset the War Powers Act clock if conflict resumes. He told reporters Friday that “I don’t think it’s constitutional” for lawmakers to seek an authorization debate under the 1973 War Powers Act although he also said in the letter he will “keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution.”

In his letters to the House and Senate, Trump told Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that “there has been no exchange of gunfire between United States forces and Iran since April 7.”

“The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” Trump wrote. Still, he warned that the standoff between Iran and the United States is by no means resolved, telling the leaders that Iran remains a “significant” threat to the US and its military forces. Trump told reporters that Iran wants “to make a deal but I’m not satisfied with it.”

A Senate vote on Thursday on whether to cease military action in Iran failed, though it did garner two Republican votes from Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Another group of senators warned if the war continued past Friday that Congress would have to authorize it; Trump’s letter seems designed to sideline that effort.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said on Friday that he was still intent on authorizing a war if conflict resumed and expected “the administration to work with Congress” on one if the war restarts.

“We must ensure that the people, through their elected representatives, weigh in on whether to send our military into combat. This should not be controversial. Given the administration’s stated position that the Iran conflict has ceased, there should be no hostilities moving forward,” Young said.