May 2, 2026

Trump Declares Iran War "Ended" to Bypass Congressional Approval for Continuation

President Trump informed Congress that U.S. military actions against Iran have "ceased" under a current truce agreement, thus negating the need for parliamentary approval to continue the conflict. The Associated Press reports that Trump made it "clear" in his message that the military conflict may be far from over. Legal provision: According to a 1973 resolution, the U.S. President can use armed forces abroad without Congressional sanction for only 60 days. For Iran, this period expired on May 1. Trump's position: A ceasefire agreement reached with Iran in early April suspended the time countdown for fulfilling any such obligation. Opposition's view: The White House's argument did not satisfy Democrats and some Republicans. The Senate Democratic leader called Trump's letter nonsense. "This is an illegal war, and every day Republicans remain complicit and allow it to continue is another day lives are endangered, chaos ensues, and prices rise." New peace proposal: Iran, with Pakistan's mediation, sent a new proposal for negotiations with the U.S. Its content is not reported, writes the BBC, citing the Iranian agency IRNA. Trump quickly reacted, stating he was "not satisfied with what is being offered" [in Tehran]. According to the WSJ, Iran has slightly softened its demands. Previously, Tehran insisted on lifting the port blockade to start negotiations. Now they have proposed discussing the opening of the Strait of Hormuz simultaneously with Washington's guarantees to cease attacks and lift the blockade. Context: The first round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran took place in mid-April and ended without result. Since then, negotiations have stalled.