Why Donald Trump is seeking to bypass Congress by claiming that hostilities against Iran are over

The American president is trying to bypass a law dating back to 1973, which theoretically requires the cessation of the use of armed forces after sixty days without Congressional authorization.

Contested allegations, less than a month after the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran began. “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026″ against Iran “are over,” declared the American president, Donald Trump, in a letter to Congress on May 1, as reported by Politico and then confirmed by AFP.

“On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended. There have been no shots exchanged between US forces and Iran since April 7, 2026,” stated the populist leader to congressional officials. This statement was made on the deadline date by which he needed authorization from Congress to continue the conflict with Iran. As mentioned by the New York Times, Donald Trump notably failed to mention the American shots targeting an Iranian ship on April 19.

By addressing these remarks to the House and Senate, the head of state is attempting to circumvent the War Powers Act, a legal requirement dating back to 1973, as highlighted by Vox. It allows the American president to initiate a limited military intervention to respond to an emergency situation created by an attack on the United States.

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