Thirty-eight Senate Democrats demanded more information in a Sunday letter about President Donald Trump’s claim that the Iran war was “terminated.”
Trump argued in a May 1 letter to Congress that the Iran war was “terminated” as the conflict reached the 60-day legal deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires operations to halt unless Congress authorizes continued military force. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Tim Kaine of Virginia and others stated they were not buying Trump’s argument, pointing to the ongoing naval blockade and Trump’s threat of military obliteration as proof that the war has continued.
“The facts, history, and law affirm that the hostilities that began on February 28 are active and ongoing, in violation of international law and the War Powers Resolution of 1973,” the senators wrote. “There is no justification to interpret military actions that would ‘restart,’ ‘unpause,’ or begin a new 60-day clock. Rather, hostilities have continued since February 28 and never terminated; the 60-day clock specified in the War Powers Resolution does not have a pause button. It is imperative that you publish the OLC legal theory underlying your interpretation to the contrary in a timely manner.”
The senators asked for the release of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel opinion that allegedly claimed the war was “terminated.”
The U.S. military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah and Israeli Defense Forces all exchanged more missiles and drones on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Israel and Iran exchanging fire on Sunday. Trump has claimed that “Iran really wants to make a deal,” though Iran has expressed frustrations during the negotiation process over Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The White House and DOJ didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on May 8 that over 15,000 troops were deployed, and over 200 aircraft and 20 warships were enforcing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Three days after claiming the war had terminated, Trump said on May 4 that “we have a war right now.”
“Since February 28, 2026, your administration has maintained a force presence of thousands of U.S. servicemembers in the region, blockaded Iranian ports (including using military force to seize vessels), and continued to interrupt global supply chains and increase the cost of living on all Americans. On May 8, 2026, Central Command publicly confirmed that over 15,000 troops are forward deployed, and over 200 aircraft and 20 warships are enforcing an active naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.5 Even after your notification to Congress indicating that hostilities had “terminated” on May 1, 2026, you accurately referred on May 4, 2026, to the war with Iran in the present tense, saying “we have a war right now,” the letter stated.
Legal experts told the DCNF that a ceasefire would not reset the war powers timeline.
The House passed a concurrent war powers resolution Wednesday in a 215-208 vote, which would direct Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran other than those “necessary to defend the United States” or an ally from an “imminent attack.” A concurrent resolution is not legally binding, meaning that Trump would have no legal obligation to obey the directive.
The Senate voted to advance a legally binding joint resolution in May with the help of some Senate Republicans, including Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, who is up for reelection against Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, who is embroiled in many controversies. The resolution would have to reach Trump’s desk to go into effect, though he would almost certainly veto it.
Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker on Sunday that he never promised there would be “no new wars,” though he had campaigned on that promise since 2015.
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