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President Donald Trump sent a letter to Congress on Friday, coinciding with the 60-day deadline on the War Powers Act, which requires a president to either withdraw from a conflict or seek congressional authorization to continue the war.
The president’s notification to Congress declared that the hostilities launched against Iran in Operation Epic Fury had been “terminated.” The letter narrowed in on the ceasefire ordered on April 7, 2026. “There has been no exchange of fire between the United States and Iran since April 7, 2026,” President Trump said in the statement. “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.”
However, the letter failed to rule out the possibility of further military action.
“As the situation evolves, I will continue to update the Congress on noteworthy changes in the United States Armed Forces presence, consistent with the War Powers Resolution,” he wrote.
Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth suggested during his testimony on Capitol Hill that during a ceasefire, the clock stopped ticking on the 60-day timeline required by the War Powers Act (1973).
By terminating hostilities now, President Trump is technically leaving the door open to launching another 60-day combat operation, should the ceasefire fail to hold. At that point, the clock could start ticking from day one again if the president orders more attacks.
It is unclear whether the president plans to withdraw U.S. Armed Forces from the region or to keep them in the Middle East.
During brief comments with reporters on Friday, President Trump was asked why he was not seeking congressional authorization when it came to the war with Iran.
“Because it’s never been sought before…” he remarked. “…We’re always in touch with Congress, but nobody’s sought it before, nobody’s ever asked for it before, it’s never been used before, why should we be different?”
