Trump tells Congress ceasefire he doesn’t need their approval for Iran War9 hours agoSareen HabeshianPresident Donald Trump told Congress that US hostilities against Iran had “terminated” due to an ongoing ceasefire. By law, a US President must receive Congress approval within 60 calendar days of notifying lawmakers about military action or cease hostilities. In a letter sent to congressional leaders, Trump stated that he did not have to comply to the war powers act, as the ceasefire agreement with Iran last month had paused any such obligation. The US and Iran still haven’t reached a long-term peace deal through talks, although Iranian media reported on Friday a new proposal. “The hostilities which began on February 28th 2026 have ended.” US to reduce troop levels in Germany, by 5,000 troops, amid Trump spats with MerzTrump claims that other presidents have flouted the war powers law. According to the Iranian state news agency IRNA a proposal for negotiations between the US and Tehran was sent to Pakistani intermediaries. The news agency didn’t publish the details and it is unclear if the US has received the proposal. But Trump told reporters that “we just had a discussion with Iran.” Let’s wait and see what happens. I am not happy. He said that a deal was hard to reach because the Iranian leadership was “very confusing” after a number top military officials died in the war. Trump said he had been briefed by US Central Command with options on Thursday, from “blast them out and finish them forever”, to “make a bargain”. Later on Friday, Trump stated: “They’re not coming up with the type of deal that we need to have. “And we are going to do this properly. We won’t leave early, only to have the problem resurface in three years. The US Treasury warned that anyone who pays Iran a toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz risks violating US sanctions. The key shipping channel remains effectively closed, causing economic impact around the world. “Democratic-led efforts in both chambers to constrain Trump on Iran have repeatedly failed. When asked on Friday if other countries had sought authorization from Congress, Trump said, “no one else has done it”. “Most people think it’s totally unconstitutional,” said Trump. The Trump administration’s interpretation on the War Powers Resolution is questioned by some experts. Professor Heather Brandon-Smith from Georgetown University Law, Washington DC, said even if the ceasefire was legal, it wouldn’t stop the clock. She said that a ceasefire does not mean the end of a conflict. “A permanent end to the war is what I think would close the 60-day period,” she said. She said that the courts or Congress would be the only way to stop the conflict if the Trump Administration continues the conflict. The conflict began when Israel and the US launched wide-ranging attacks on Iran, killing its supreme leader. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and US allied states in the Gulf.
