President Donald Trump is facing a Friday deadline to obtain congressional approval for continued military operations against Iran. The cutoff marks the expiration of a 60-day clock that began when Trump notified Congress of attacks in early March, requiring the administration to wind down hostilities unless lawmakers authorize further force.
The dispute centers on competing interpretations of the War Powers Act. Democrats argue Trump will be in clear violation once the threshold passes, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer stating: "After we cross that 60-day threshold, there can be no more doubts that he's violating the War Powers Act." The administration, however, disputes this interpretation, contending that the clock was effectively paused by a ceasefire announced last month. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Thursday that the government believes "the 60-day clock pauses or stops" during a halt in fighting—a claim Democrats reject as lacking legal foundation.
The standoff presents a high-stakes constitutional test of congressional authority over war powers, more than 50 years after the War Powers Act was enacted following the Vietnam War. With tens of thousands of US troops deployed in the Middle East and mounting economic and political costs accumulating domestically, the dispute has intensified scrutiny of presidential war-making powers.
Senators voted Thursday to reject a resolution aimed at curbing Trump's authority, continuing a pattern of failed Democratic attempts to force an end to the conflict. While most Republicans have backed the president, unease is growing within the party as the deadline approaches. Utah Senator John Curtis stated that the law is clear: "After 60 days, military action must begin to wind down unless Congress provides formal authorization," warning he would not support continued force without lawmakers weighing in.
Efforts to block the war face substantial obstacles. Even if a resolution passes the Senate, it would require approval from the Republican-controlled House and could face a presidential veto. The War Powers Act has rarely succeeded in limiting presidential war-making, with courts generally reluctant to intervene and disputes typically resolved in the political arena rather than courts.
Senator Adam Schiff, who introduced Thursday's failed resolution, expressed optimism about potential Republican support. "Some of my colleagues have indicated that the War Powers Act's 60-day mark is the moment they may join our efforts to bring this war to its conclusion," he said, citing two months of conflict, thirteen service members' deaths, and billions of dollars spent.
