Many Republicans who have expressed unease with President Donald Trump's military campaign in Iran had pointed to a May 1 deadline for Congress to intervene. However, that date is now passing without any action from GOP lawmakers, who continue to defer to the White House.
War Powers Resolution Deadline Ignored
Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Congress must declare war or authorize the use of force within 60 days—a deadline that falls on Friday—or within 90 days if the president requests an extension. Yet Congress made no attempt to enforce this requirement, leaving town for a week on Thursday after the Senate rejected a Democratic attempt to halt the war for the sixth time.
The Trump administration has shown no interest in seeking congressional approval, arguing that the deadlines set by the law do not apply because the war in Iran effectively ended when a ceasefire began in early April.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated Thursday that he does not plan to hold a vote on authorizing force in Iran or otherwise weigh in. “I’m listening carefully to what the members of our conference are saying, and at this point I don’t see that,” Thune said.
Political Risks for Republicans
The reluctance to defy Trump on the war comes at a politically perilous time for Republicans, with public frustration mounting over both the conflict and its impact on gas prices. Nonetheless, most GOP lawmakers say they support Trump's wartime leadership or are willing to give him more time amid the fragile ceasefire.
Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota stated he would vote for an authorization of war if Trump asked for it, but questioned whether the War Powers Resolution is even constitutional. “Our founders created a really strong executive, like it or not like it,” Cramer said.
Some GOP Senators Push for Congressional Role
However, some Republican senators made clear that they eventually want Congress to have a say. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced in a floor speech Thursday that she will introduce a limited authorized use of military force when the Senate returns from the one-week recess if the administration has not yet presented what she called a “credible plan.”
“I do not believe we should engage in open-ended military action without clear accountability,” Murkowski said. “Congress has a role.”
A handful of GOP senators have said for weeks that Congress should assert its authority over the war at some point. Maine's Susan Collins voted for the first time with Democrats on Thursday to halt the war, stating she wants a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close. “The president’s authority as commander-in-chief is not without limits,” Collins said, adding that the 60-day deadline is “not a suggestion, it is a requirement.”
In addition to Collins and Murkowski, Republican Sens. John Curtis of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Josh Hawley of Missouri have indicated they would eventually like to see a vote. Curtis said he would not support continued funding for the war until Congress votes to authorize it. “It is time for decision-making from both the administration and from Congress—and that can happen in league with one another, not in conflict,” Curtis said.
Administration's Argument on Ceasefire
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 states that a president has 60 calendar days after notifying Congress that the US is engaged in military hostilities to either end the military campaign or gain approval from Congress. The White House can use a 30-day extension to safely withdraw forces, but Congress must be notified.
The 60-day window expires Friday, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a hearing Thursday, “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means, the 60-day clock pauses or stops.” A senior administration official added that for purposes of the war powers law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.” The official noted that the US military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire began April 7.
This argument holds even though Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea.
Democrats scoffed at the suggestion that May 1 is not the real deadline. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine told Hegseth in the hearing, “I do not believe the statute would support that.” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., argued that the military is still operating warships and other assets even though it has stopped bombing Iran during the ceasefire. “Ceasing to use some forces while using others does not somehow stop the clock,” Schiff said.
The development came as little surprise to at least one House Democrat who oversees the military. Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told The Associated Press: “Is the expectation that the Trump administration is going to follow the law? I do not have that expectation.”
