President Donald Trump’s declaration that hostilities with Iran have been officially “terminated” has thrown the Democrats’ efforts in Congress to challenge the administration’s military campaign under the War Powers Act, into a toss, with the announcement now forcing the party to recalibrate its entire strategy.
House Democrats, led in part by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, had been preparing to repeatedly force votes aimed at limiting or ending US military’s war in Iran, though it’s heavily uncertain if that will ever happen now.
Now, lawmakers and aides say the strategy is being reconsidered ahead of Congress returning next week.
“There’s a lot to happen between now and next week,” one senior House progressive told Axios. “Who knows how many times Trump could change his position between now and then.”
The uncertainty comes even as US military operations connected to the conflict continue in some form or the other, despite the ceasefire holding.
According to an anonymous White House official, Washington launched airstrikes Thursday on Iran’s Bandar Abbas and the port area of Qeshm Port. While Iran called the attack a violation of the ceasefire, the US insists it was retaliatory move, and was entirely part of self-defence.
Last week, Trump formally notified Congress that “the hostilities [with Iran] that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.”
In the letter, Trump pointed to the ceasefire brokered between the two countries on April 7, writing that there has “been no exchange of fire between United States forces and Iran since” then.
Democrats have, however, roundly rejected that framing of the situation, pointing to the US military’s blockade of Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
“With an active blockade and shooting, plus threats of resuming bombing at any moment, I don’t know anyone who takes that argument seriously,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios.
The dispute is especially important, as the War Powers Resolution requires a President to seek Congressional approval for conducting military operations, and unless it remains unauthorised, the President has only a time-span of 60 days, beyond which they’ll be forced to cease operations.
Trump’s notification to Congress is widely considered by Democrats, an attempt to avoid fulfilling that requirement, while some lawmakers are now concerned Republicans could use Trump’s declaration as grounds to block future war powers votes in the House.
“The majority could try and say, ‘we’re not going to put this on the floor because there are no hostilities within the meaning of the War Powers Resolution,'” one House Democrat said.
The lawmaker added that such a dispute could ultimately be referred to the House parliamentarian for interpretation.
“That would be a pretty tough way for Republicans to go,” the lawmaker stated, “but anything can happen.”
A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson did not respond to requests for comment about whether the GOP would attempt to block future war powers resolutions.
Several Democratic offices also declined to say definitively whether they still plan to force votes once Congress reconvenes, while Huffman said discussions about strategy are ongoing.
“We’ll see if there’s any reconsideration o f strategy when we get back,” he told the outlet.
At the same time, some Democrats appear determined to continue pressing the issue despite Trump’s declaration.
Representatives Jason Crow and Seth Moulton introduced another war powers resolution even after the White House declared the conflict effectively over.
