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President Donald Trump has formally alerted Congress that he has restarted the U.S. war on Iran, potentially allowing his administration to argue that the War Powers deadline has been reset.
Despite the implementation of peace deals, the U.S. war on Iran never actually ended, with blockades and hostile attacks from both sides persisting even during purported truces. But the administration may use its latest formal declaration to argue that a new war on Iran has begun, citing a temporary peace arrangement that began in April and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in June.
In a letter dated July 10, Trump told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that he began strikes anew on July 7, describing the military action as “consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States’ interests both at home and abroad.”
The letter was sent to Congress shortly after Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social this month that the MOU was “over” and subsequently ordered a resumption of military strikes against dozens of Iranian targets.
Under the War Powers Act of 1973, presidents who launch wars without a formal declaration of war by Congress must inform lawmakers within 48 hours of hostilities starting. They must also obtain permission to continue the war after 60 days. A 30-day extension is allowed under certain restrictions.
The war on Iran, which began on February 28, reached the 60-day limit on May 1. The White House claimed at the time that a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran rendered the War Powers requirements moot.
An attempt to claim that the letter restarts the War Powers deadline seems likely. In early May, Trump said that he did not have to adhere to those restrictions because hostilities had been “terminated.”
Reacting to the letter, Democrats signaled they would oppose any attempt by the administration to claim a new war has begun. “The president can’t just wish away months of war he said would last only four to six weeks,” a congressional aide said, speaking anonymously to Reuters about the update.
As the MOU appeared to be deteriorating last week, Democratic lawmakers promised to sue the administration if it tried to resume the war against Iran.
“If Trump does restart the war, I think you’ll see people in court right away saying Congress has passed War Powers. Both houses have declared the war is illegal,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) said last Wednesday, citing War Powers votes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-New York) was more forceful in his statement. “I will explore all legal avenues to ensure the executive complies with the will of Congress,” he said.
Most Americans want an end to the conflict. In a CBS News/YouGov poll from mid-June, nearly 8 in 10 Americans (78 percent) said they wanted the war to end immediately.
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