Trump sends letter declaring Iran hostilities terminated as 60-day War Powers deadline hits

On the final day of the War Powers Resolution''s 60-day countdown, President Trump sends Congress a letter declaring that hostilities with Iran have been "terminated" and that the WPR clock therefore no longer applies. The letter argues that the April 7 ceasefire ended the conflict and that the Resolution''s requirements are satisfied. Constitutional law scholars note the WPR contains no "terminated" exception and does not permit the executive to unilaterally declare its own compliance threshold. Without congressional authorization, the question of whether U.S. forces can legally remain in an operational posture against Iran falls to the courts — which have historically declined to resolve war powers disputes as political questions. The letter sets a precedent that future presidents can use to avoid the 60-day deadline through self-declared terminations.