“Operation Epic Fury, as the president notified Congress, we're done with that stage of it. We achieved the objectives of that operation. Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb — that issue has to be addressed in the negotiations.
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Trump Administration Claims Iran War "Terminated" to Dodge 60-Day War Powers Deadline
May 1, 2026
On May 1, 2026, the Trump administration declared that the Iran war has been "terminated" for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution — a legal maneuver designed to avoid the law's requirement that Congress authorize military action within 60 days of its start. A senior administration official stated that "the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28 have terminated," pointing to the US-Iran ceasefire agreed on April 7 and its subsequent extensions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the ceasefire effectively paused or stopped the 60-day clock entirely. Trump separately sent a letter to congressional leaders formalizing the declaration and called the War Powers Act itself "totally unconstitutional." On May 5, Secretary of State Rubio formally declared Operation Epic Fury — the offensive bombing campaign — concluded, with the US transitioning to the defensive Project Freedom mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Critics and legal experts continued to reject the administration's interpretation. Democrats noted that Senate Republicans had blocked a war powers resolution for the sixth time, while moderate Republicans including Susan Collins and Rand Paul broke with leadership to demand congressional authorization. Congress then left town for a week recess without taking action.
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7 Statements
“I have determined that the War Powers Resolution is totally unconstitutional and that I am not required to comply with its terms. The ceasefire with Iran has terminated the hostilities that began on February 28, and no further congressional authorization is required.
“We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops. The hostilities that began on February 28 have terminated.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement. Congress must assert its constitutional authority here.
“We should not fail to note how extraordinary it is that our Senate Republican leadership has declined to do any oversight of a war that is costing billions of dollars every week.
“The War Powers Act means something. The president cannot simply declare the war over by pointing to a fragile ceasefire while continuing to project military force in the region. Congress must vote.
“There's no pause button in the Constitution or the War Powers Act. Congress has a constitutional duty to act and Republican leadership is abdicating it.