The Trump administration on Friday said the United States is “not at war” with Iran, even as debate grows over whether a 60-day limit on military operations under the War Powers Resolution has expired, raising fresh legal and constitutional questions involving US Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress does not currently need to authorise the operation, arguing there is no active combat. “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,” he told NBC News, adding, “We are not at war.”
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires presidents to withdraw US forces within 60 days of initiating hostilities unless Congress approves continued action.
President Donald Trump reportedly notified Congress on March 2, setting May 1 as the disputed deadline. However, lawmakers are divided over whether that timeline has been met or whether the pauses in the war affect the count of 60 days.
The White House has argued that a ceasefire has effectively paused the clock. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told a Senate hearing the 60-day period may be “paused or stopped” during a ceasefire, though he deferred final interpretation to White House counsel.
Democrats strongly reject that position. Senator Tim Kaine said the law does not allow such a pause and warned that the administration could be in violation if the deadline has passed without authorization.
Trump himself has used shifting language to describe the operation, variously calling it a war, a military operation, and a “little excursion,” at one point saying, “I had to go to a war,” while also suggesting the term “war” carries legal implications requiring congressional approval.
The hostilities began on February 28 with coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran and other regional targets. Iran responded with attacks on US and Israeli positions and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to rising global oil prices.
Opposition lawmakers, including Senator Adam Schiff, have criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict and warned of significant human and financial costs. However, any congressional effort to restrict the operation faces steep challenges in a Republican-controlled House and the likelihood of a presidential veto.
