Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Sunday that there are no "timeouts" when it comes to the 60-day War Powers Act deadline governing military operations in Iran.
The president notified Congress of the military operations on March 2, making Friday the statutory 60-day milestone at which point the law requires the president to begin concluding hostilities unless he obtains explicit authorization from Congress. No such notification or request for the optional 30-day extension has been submitted to lawmakers, according to Reed's office.
What the Right Is Saying
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the administration believes the clock pauses during a ceasefire. "We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire," Hegseth said.
President Trump has gone further, suggesting the War Powers Act itself may be unconstitutional when applied to his administration's military operations. "It's never been sought before," Trump told reporters Friday. "There's been numerous, many, many times and nobody's ever gotten it before — they consider it totally unconstitutional."
Administration officials argue that ongoing diplomatic negotiations with Iran constitute sufficient justification for maintaining a military posture without additional congressional approval. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president retains "inherent constitutional authority" as commander in chief to conduct operations necessary for national security.
Republican lawmakers have largely backed the administration's position, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) saying Congress should focus on supporting diplomatic efforts rather than imposing artificial deadlines that could weaken U.S. negotiating leverage.
What the Left Is Saying
Reed told ABC News' Martha Raddatz on "This Week" that the War Powers Act contains no provisions for pausing the clock during a ceasefire, comparing it to sports rules. "The language of the statutes does not provide for timeouts like in a football game," he said. "From the day you begin, 60 days — the president has to comply with the law."
Reed accused the administration of ignoring legal requirements repeatedly. "We have to be notified. No such notification's come through. The president's ignoring the law. He does that constantly. This is not the first example where he just completely ignores the law," Reed said.
The Rhode Island senator contrasted Trump's approach with that of former President George W. Bush, who sought congressional authorization before launching operations in Iraq. "He provided Congress the opportunity to opine and decide, and gave him legitimacy that this president lacks," Reed said, though he noted he opposed the Iraq war at the time.
Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats have been pressing the administration for formal documentation on whether it considers the ceasefire to suspend the War Powers Resolution timeline. Without a written response from the White House, the issue appears headed toward potential legal challenge.
What the Numbers Show
The War Powers Act of 1973 requires presidents to notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing U.S. armed forces into hostilities. Presidents may continue operations for up to 60 days without congressional authorization, with a possible 30-day extension if the president certifies that safe withdrawal is not possible.
March 2: President Trump notifies Congress of military operations against Iranian nuclear facilities and related targets.
April 8-10: U.S. bombing campaign ends; ceasefire announced between U.S. and Iran.
May 6: The 60-day statutory deadline passes without a congressional authorization vote or formal extension request from the president.
No administration in recent history has explicitly tested whether a ceasefire suspends the War Powers Resolution clock. Legal scholars are divided, with some arguing the law's text is clear that only withdrawal can stop the countdown and others saying its intent was to address ongoing combat operations rather than negotiated pauses.
The Bottom Line
The dispute centers on an unresolved question: does a U.S.-Iran ceasefire constitute "hostilities" under the War Powers Act? The administration says no; Reed and Senate Democrats say yes, because military forces remain deployed in the region with no congressional authorization to continue.
Without a court ruling or congressional action, the legal status of U.S. forces in the Middle East will remain ambiguous as diplomatic talks proceed. Congress could pass a resolution asserting its authority, but such measures face veto threats. A federal lawsuit is considered unlikely given courts' historical reluctance to intervene in political questions about war powers.
What happens next: Watch for whether the White House submits any formal notification before May 6 or issues a legal memorandum defending its position. Senate Armed Services Committee members from both parties have scheduled a closed-door briefing with administration lawyers for later this week.