USA Trump: Will not seek congressional authorization for Iran war
Regardless of the legal situation, US President Donald Trump will not seek authorization from Congress to continue the war on Iran.
02.05.2026, 00:40
02.05.2026, 00:41
SDA
"Never before" has such authorization been requested, he told journalists in Washington. "Why should we make an exception?"
In a letter to Congress, which is available to the German Press Agency, Trump declared the hostilities with Iran to be over. There had been no fighting between Iran and the USA since the ceasefire began on April 7, it said. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have ended."
60-day deadline ends
In theory, the window of opportunity for Trump to wage war expires at the weekend. According to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the commander-in-chief may command the offensive for a maximum of 60 days. If a president wants to command combat operations by the US military beyond this, formal parliamentary approval is required. This is intended to prevent the USA from being drawn into protracted, unauthorized operations.
At the end of the 60 days, Trump would theoretically be forced to gradually withdraw US troops. This would also apply to the naval forces and ships that are currently maintaining the US blockade of Iranian ports despite the ceasefire. However, there are loopholes so that Trump could continue the war even after the deadline has passed. Previous presidents such as Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also bypassed parliament.
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, expressed a similar view to the President: according to him, the USA is not currently at war as there are no hostilities. This means that the government does not have to adhere to a 60-day deadline.
The Democratic minority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, described the US government's argument in its letter to Congress as "bullshit". "This is an illegal war, and every day that Republicans are complicit and allow it to continue is another day that lives are endangered, chaos erupts and prices rise," he criticized on X.
Hegseth had already explained the government's reasoning
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had already stated that the government would be allowed to continue the war against Iran for weeks without congressional approval. "We are currently in a ceasefire, which we understand means that the 60-day period (...) pauses or stops," he told a Senate committee.
However, Mark Nevitt, a law professor at Emory University in Atlanta, questions this argument with regard to the US naval blockade. According to international law, a blockade is an act of war, and the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that international law is part of US law, he told the Wall Street Journal
Washington seeks new diplomatic approaches
Meanwhile, amid stalled talks between Washington and Tehran, the US government is reportedly trying a new approach. A new coordinating body is intended to "facilitate cooperation between the United States and our allies in the Strait of Hormuz", a senior administration official told the German Press Agency.
According to the US State Department, measures are to be taken "to ensure safe passage". These include, for example, "the provision of real-time information, safety instructions and coordination measures".
Specifically, according to information from the White House, the "Maritime Freedom Construct" should enable the exchange of information among the as yet unnamed allies and "coordinate diplomatic and economic measures" to sanction Iran in the event of a further blockade of the strait. It was initially unclear exactly which countries would participate and whether Germany, for example, had been asked. Meanwhile, the US military is to maintain the naval blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Strait of Hormuz remains a point of contention
According to a report by the British Navy, fewer than ten ships currently pass through the Strait of Hormuz every day. According to the report, more ships leave the Persian Gulf than the other way around. Before the important strait was blocked by Iran as a result of the war, around 130 ships passed through it every day, the report continued.
The British Navy operates an international sea rescue hotline and has documented 41 dangerous incidents in the strait since the outbreak of the war. The head of the agency, Commander Jo Black, is particularly concerned about the sailors who are stuck on the up to 870 ships in the Gulf: "There are no crew changes. Seafarers are not returning home, food and supplies are arriving but are in short supply, and there are long-term mental health implications."
Iran's parliamentary speaker and key negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf made fun of the US naval blockade on Thursday, saying that Iran has long national borders. An Iranian trade association stated that 40 percent of the country's trade could be transferred to land routes. The claim was not substantiated or specified. However, the enormous oil business is carried out by ship - a transfer to land routes can hardly represent similar volumes.
Iran makes new proposals to end the war
Meanwhile, according to the state news agency Irna, Iran presented a new proposal to the mediators in Pakistan. When asked about the new proposal, Trump told journalists that Iran wanted to make a deal, but "I'm not happy with it". The content of the new initiative was not officially announced at first.
