Trump signals Iran plan is unlikely to be accepted as lawmakers clash over whether War Powers approval is required.
A tense War Powers fight over how far the United States can go militarily is colliding with a fresh push for talks after Donald Trump said he is reviewing a proposal Iran has sent.
Trump wrote that he would soon examine the plan but “can’t imagine” it would be acceptable to the United States. adding that Iran has not paid a sufficient price for its conduct over decades.. The remarks landed as the administration’s position on military authorities is under scrutiny inside Washington.
While traveling on Air Force One, Trump was asked what constraints would guide any resumption of U.S.. strikes.. He declined to detail those guardrails for reporters. but suggested that if Iran “misbehave[s]” the possibility of renewed action remains. framing the next steps as contingent on Tehran’s behavior.
The political pressure is not coming only from outside the White House.. It is intensifying because the 60-day War Powers Act deadline has been reached. and the administration has not sought congressional authorization to continue the Iran conflict.. That has left lawmakers split over whether the statute’s clock should be treated as running during an active ceasefire.
This is more than a procedural disagreement. How Congress and the White House interpret War Powers during a pause in fighting can shape whether lawmakers are positioned to oversee the next decisions, or whether the executive branch argues it retains broader flexibility.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators that the administration views the ceasefire as pausing or stopping the 60-day timeline. arguing the clock halts while hostilities are suspended.. Sen.. Tim Kaine challenged that approach. saying the law would not support a pause and warning it could place the administration in legal jeopardy.
Under the statute, the president may conduct military operations without congressional approval for 60 days.. After that point, the administration is expected to seek authorization, begin withdrawing forces, or request a limited extension.. In this case, the administration notified Congress of hostilities on March 2, which sets May 1 as the 60-day marker.
Trump has also signaled openness to negotiations. saying Thursday that Iran is “dying to make a deal. ” while insisting Tehran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.. Iran’s state-run media said its new proposal was delivered through Pakistani mediators, though U.S.. officials have not described what is inside it or whether Washington would ask Congress for approval if talks do not move forward.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she plans to introduce legislation to authorize the war if the White House does not deliver what she called a “credible plan” within a week, potentially setting up a floor vote when the Senate returns later this month.
In the near term. the outcome could hinge on whether Congress treats the ceasefire as effectively interrupting the War Powers clock.. In the longer view. the dispute is likely to influence how future administrations calculate the political and legal costs of prolonged military engagement without new authorizations.