In a letter published to members of the US Congress on Friday, May 1, 2026, Donald Trump stated that hostilities with Iran were “terminated.” This declaration came after he expressed dissatisfaction with Tehran’s proposal to resume peace negotiations.
“On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has been extended since then. There have been no exchanges of fire between US and Iranian forces since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, are now over,” wrote Donald Trump to lawmakers in Congress on April 1.
As reported by BFMTV, declaring that hostilities with Iran are “terminated” could allow the US President to bypass the necessary legislative approval, as required by the US Constitution, after two months of armed conflict. In other words, Donald Trump is circumventing Congress’s approval for war in Iran, as the 60-day deadline set by US law expired.
Democrats are critical of Trump’s statements, with Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying, “President Trump’s statement that the war in Iran is over does not reflect the reality of the tens of thousands of American soldiers in danger in the region, the ongoing threats of the administration to increase hostilities, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the surge in prices in the US.”
Furthermore, President Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Iran’s new offer to resume peace talks on May 1, describing Iranian leaders as “divided” and unable to reach a resolution. In case diplomatic efforts fail, Trump has renewed his threats to “pulverize” Iran.
Published on May 2 at 07:20, by Enora Foricher, 6Media.
