Trump Administration Declares Iran Conflict Over – AP

(SeaPRwire) –   The White House has reportedly stated that the temporary ceasefire with Tehran qualifies as the war’s conclusion, meaning congressional approval is not required

According to the Associated Press, which cited sources, the Trump administration believes the US-Israeli conflict with Iran has already been “terminated,” and that it does not require congressional authorization to continue military engagement.

This report emerges as a deadline imposed by the 1973 War Powers Act draws near. This law restricts any presidentially-initiated military action without Congress’s approval to a 60-day period.

An unnamed senior administration official informed AP on Friday that the White House maintains that, under the law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated.” Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7, which has since been extended for an indefinite period.

This position aligns with the view expressed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during Senate hearings on Thursday. The Pentagon leader stated the conflict has been “paused” since the truce began, contending that the administration’s “understanding” is that the 60-day clock is also suspended.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who questioned Hegseth intensely on the timeline, told reporters the secretary presented a “very novel argument that I’ve never heard before,” which he said “certainly has no legal support.” Several legal authorities have asserted that the 60-day window specified by the act cannot be “terminated” or “paused.”

However, this unconventional interpretation of the 1973 law has found support from some quarters. Richard Goldberg, a former National Security Council official in Trump’s first term and now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish D.C. think tank, said the interpretation was valid.

Goldberg argued that initiating a new operation at a later date would avoid the need for congressional approval, a move he claimed “solves it all.” He suggested that a fresh attack on Iran “would inherently be a mission of self-defense focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.”

Following the ceasefire announcement, the U.S. has been deploying more troops and military equipment to the Middle East, leading to broad concerns that the truce is merely an interlude before fighting resumes. Three aircraft carrier strike groups and several marine expeditionary units are now operating in the area; some are enforcing Trump’s naval blockade of Iran, while others seem to be in a state of readiness.