Trump Administration Says Ceasefire With Iran Pauses War Powers Act Clock

The Trump administration maintains that as of Tuesday the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect. As a result, officials said U.S. forces are not approaching the 60-day deadline set by the War Powers Resolution of 1973. A Tuesday morning briefing affirmed that the ceasefire deal is still in place.

Officials previously told lawmakers that the “60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” a position the White House supported. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on April 7. Despite that announcement, U.S. Navy vessels were fired upon Monday and responded by destroying several Iranian small boats.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that Iran carried out attacks on nine commercial vessels, seized two container ships, and attempted more than 10 attacks on U.S. forces. He described all of those actions as below the threshold of restarting major combat operations.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill had expected the 60-day mark to expire at the end of last week. Under the administration’s view, the conflict has run for substantially less than 60 days. The White House notified Congress of the conflict on March 2, two days after strikes began on Feb.

28. With the April 7 ceasefire in place, the timeline indicates several weeks remain before any 60-day limit would be reached.

Presidents from both parties have long argued that the War Powers Resolution unconstitutionally infringes on the powers of the commander in chief. One official stated that every presidential administration since the law passed has taken this position while still providing notification to Congress to maintain good relations.