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On May 1, 2026, the Trump administration announced that military operations against Iran have been formally “terminated” before the 60-day congressional authorization deadline set by the War Powers Act — triggering a fierce constitutional and legal debate. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before both chambers of Congress for a second consecutive day, defending the administration’s military strategy.

The Core Question: Has the 60-Day Clock Really “Stopped”?

Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the President cannot sustain unauthorized military operations for more than 60 days. During his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Hegseth argued that the Iran ceasefire agreement effectively “paused” the 60-day clock, thereby redefining the legal status of the military campaign.

“With the ceasefire in effect, we are terminating hostilities. The 60-day clock has stopped,” Hegseth told senators. However, several Democratic senators strongly challenged this legal interpretation, arguing that the administration was using technical language to circumvent constitutional requirements.

Key Points from Congressional Grilling

During the two-day hearing, Hegseth faced intense scrutiny on several fronts:

  1. Legal Definition of “Terminated”: How does the administration define the end of “hostilities”? Do sporadic engagements constitute an ongoing conflict?
  2. Military Damage Assessment: CNN reported that repairing damaged US military bases will add billions to the total cost of the Iran war
  3. Strategic Ambiguity: Republican senators expressed deference to Trump on the Iran question despite the 60-day deadline arriving
  4. Iran’s Response: Tehran described the US siege of its ports as “intolerable,” signaling continued tensions

Partisan Divide

According to the Washington Post, Republican senators indicated they would defer to Trump’s authority on the Iran conflict even as the 60-day deadline passed. Democrats, meanwhile, pushed for a binding resolution to explicitly end unauthorized military action.

Axios noted that the Pentagon’s “pause” argument sets a dangerous precedent — future administrations could potentially use temporary ceasefires to bypass War Powers Act limitations. Legal scholars warned that such an approach undermines Congress’s constitutionally granted power to declare war.

What Comes Next

With the ceasefire in place, the Middle East enters a new phase of uncertainty. Iran’s response will determine whether the conflict has truly ended or merely entered a temporary truce. Whether Congress passes a binding resolution to constrain presidential military authority will be a defining question in the coming weeks.

Sources: Washington Post · Axios · CNN