Peloni: The irony in all of these shenanigans is that the Congress is acting as the arbiter for a nuclear Iran while the POTUS is acting as the arbiter of safeguarding America from being attacked by a terror state with a nuclear bomb. Where might the American public sit on this issue?
Notably, as elections approach, the question is an important one to consider, but so too is the fact that nothing has been done to secure the electoral system in the US which Trump has recently warned the need for another ‘too big to rig’ turnout on election day. So, is the congress actually reacting to American public opinion or to the threat which lingers over the potential for another election day where vote counting in America sees election returns with actual vote counts that rise and fall throughout the election counting process indicating something other than the will of the people lingering over election fortunes.
Ashley Brasfield | Reporter | Daily Caller |
Trump. Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikipedia
In a Friday letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and President pro tempore of the United States Senate Chuck Grassley, President Donald Trump declared that U.S. hostilities with Iran have concluded ahead of a critical congressional deadline.
The White House laid out its rationale in the letter to the congressional leaders as the Middle East conflict reached the 60-day legal deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires operations to halt unless Congress authorizes continued military force, according to a Politico report.
Citing a ceasefire with Tehran that he said has been extended indefinitely, Trump argued that the clock has effectively stopped. “On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” the letter states. (RELATED: Iran, US Peace Talks Still Stuck In Mud, Trump Says)
The letter aims to preempt a growing fight on Capitol Hill, where Trump risks losing Republican support as the conflict enters its second month without a clear exit strategy. Still, the administration’s rationale is unlikely to satisfy Democrats and some Republicans, who argue the U.S. must wind down operations now.
Before departing the White House for Florida on Friday, Trump told reporters he had presented Iran with “a final proposal” but expressed doubt about securing a deal with what he called the country’s “disjointed” government. He said Iran has “made strides,” but added he’s “not happy” with the progress. (RELATED: Voters Now Trust Democrats More Than GOP On Economy Due To Iran War)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had signaled the administration’s legal position a day earlier, telling senators during testimony that the ceasefire “means the 60-day clock pauses, or stops,” according to a report by The Hill.
Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins, in a notable break from her party, became the first Republican senator to support a measure to end the hostilities, citing the deadline. “That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” she said in a Thursday statement explaining her vote.
Iran war opponents argue Trump is misinterpreting the War Powers statute, pointing out that U.S. involvement hasn’t fully ended. Despite the ceasefire, American forces continue enforcing a blockade on Iran, and roughly 50,000 troops remain stationed in the Middle East. (RELATED: As Iran War Oil Stranglehold Continues, Another Crisis Brews)
Trump pushed back Thursday, dismissing lawmakers seeking congressional authorization. “I don’t think it’s constitutional what they’re asking for,” he said. “These are not patriotic people,” according to Politico.
He also argued that past presidents have gone beyond the 60-day limit, saying, “Many presidents, as you know, have gone and exceeded it,” and adding, “Every other president considered it totally unconstitutional.”
Terminated? Without removing the nuclear bomb-making materials???