On Sunday, 38 Senate Democrats sought further clarification regarding President Donald Trump’s assertion that the Iran war has come to an end.
In a letter sent to Congress on May 1, President Trump stated that the war with Iran was “over” after reaching the legal 60-day limit. According to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, military operations must conclude unless Congress grants permission for them to continue. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Democratic Senators Adam Schiff from California and Tim Kaine from Virginia, challenged Trump’s claims, citing the ongoing threats of naval blockades and military actions as indicators that hostilities persist.
“The facts, history, and law show that the hostilities that began on February 28 violate international law and the War Powers Resolution and are still happening,” the senators noted. “There’s no reasonable basis to interprete military efforts as being ‘paused’ or starting a new 60-day timeline. The hostilities have continued since February 28 without interruption. There isn’t a reset button on the 60-day timeline in the War Powers Resolution. It’s important to publish the legal reasoning that supports any conflicting view.”
The senators also requested the release of an opinion from the Department of Justice that allegedly supports the idea that the war is indeed “over.”
Recently, the U.S. military, along with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah, and the Israel Defense Forces, engaged in a series of missile and drone exchanges. On Sunday, Israel and Iran even traded artillery fire. Although Trump claimed to have evidence that “Iran really wants a deal,” the country’s discontent with ongoing negotiations regarding Israel’s actions against Hezbollah was apparent.
Neither the White House nor the Justice Department responded immediately to requests for comments.
On May 8, U.S. Central Command confirmed the deployment of over 15,000 troops, 200 aircraft, and 20 warships engaged in a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Just three days after declaring the war over, Trump stated, “Now the war has begun.”
“Since February 28, your administration has kept thousands of U.S. troops in the area, blockaded Iranian ports (including using military force to seize vessels), disrupted global supply chains, and increased living costs for all Americans. You indicated that over 20 warships are taking part in military operations. Even after announcing that hostilities had ended on May 1, you accurately referred to the war with Iran in the present tense on May 4, reinforcing the notion that ‘We are at war now.’
Legal experts noted that a ceasefire does not reset the timelines established under war powers.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives narrowly approved a war powers resolution instructing Trump to avoid using U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran unless it’s necessary to defend U.S. troops and allies from imminent threat. Since these resolutions aren’t legally binding, Trump isn’t compelled to follow this directive.
The Senate has escalated the situation with a legally binding measure. This resolution, bolstered by several Senate Republicans, including Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski, is expected to reach Trump’s desk, though a veto is likely.
In a related note, NBC’s Kristen Welker indicated on Sunday that she never committed to the idea of “no new wars,” despite campaigning on that promise since 2015.
