ToplinePresident Donald Trump said the war in Iran has been “terminated,” he told Congress in a letter Friday as the administration argues it doesn’t need congressional approval to continue the military operation. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, 2026 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)Getty ImagesKey FactsTrump issued the letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on the 60-day deadline established by the War Powers Act that requires congressional approval to continue military operations, according to multiple reports.Trump noted there has been no exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran since a ceasefire began on April 7.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also said Thursday the ceasefire implemented on April 7 “means the 60-day clock pauses or stops,” prompting some GOP pushback, including from Republicans who wanted the White House to present a formal proposal to continue the war.Meanwhile, Iran sent a new peace proposal to Pakistani mediators on Thursday, Iranian state media reported Friday.It’s unclear what’s in the plan and whether the U.S. will accept it. TangentThe Senate rejected the Iran War Powers Resolution for a sixth time on Thursday. The 60-day deadline can be extended by 30 days to facilitate the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops.Chief CriticsSeveral Republicans have contested the Trump administration’s claims it doesn’t need congressional approval to continue the war past 60 days. “It stopped from the ceasefire? Which ceasefire? Does the ceasefire still count if they don’t cease firing?” Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., told the Wall Street Journal. Young, along with Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said the administration should present a formal argument to Congress, though Hawley expressed reservations about debating the War Powers Act, because he wants the war to end. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a post on X, “the deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement.”Key BackgroundPublicly, talks between Iran and the U.S. appear to have been stalled for weeks over a dispute surrounding who controls the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions, though Trump insisted Thursday negotiations were continuing, telling reporters Iran is “dying to make a deal.” The U.S. rejected a proposal from Iran over the weekend to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. agreed to delay nuclear talks, as Trump has made clear that Iran must give up its nuclear ambitions. Further ReadingIran Mocks Trump Administration As Oil Hits Highest Level Since 2022 (Forbes)Trump Threatens Iran With Gun-Toting AI Meme As Hormuz Remains Blockaded (Forbes)Iran’s Supreme Leader Says It Won’t Give Up Nuclear Assets In Rare Public Statement (Forbes)