A senior Trump administration official said a ceasefire with Iran terminated hostilities, allowing the U.S. government to meet a legal deadline [1].
This determination is critical because it avoids a potential legal or political confrontation with Congress over the War Powers Resolution. Under the act, the administration must either end a conflict or seek congressional authorization within a specific timeframe after initiating hostilities [2].
The U.S. official said on April 30, 2026, that the truce began on April 7, 2026 [3]. This ceasefire serves as the basis for the administration's claim that the conflict has concluded [1].
"We have determined that hostilities have ended," the senior administration official said [1].
Hostilities between the U.S. and Iran originally began on February 28, 2026 [4]. The War Powers Act imposes a deadline of 60 days from the start of such hostilities [2]. By declaring the conflict over via the April 7 ceasefire, the administration satisfies the timeline without requiring a formal extension from Congress [2].
"The ceasefire that began on April 7 has terminated hostilities, allowing us to meet the War Powers deadline," a senior U.S. official said [5].
Reports on the nature of the truce vary. Some accounts indicate both parties agreed to an initial two-week ceasefire on April 7 that was later extended [6]. However, the administration maintains that the ceasefire effectively terminated the hostilities for the purpose of the legal deadline [1].
“"We have determined that hostilities have ended,"”
By classifying the ceasefire as the termination of hostilities, the Trump administration avoids a mandatory request for congressional approval to continue military action. This interpretation of the War Powers Resolution allows the executive branch to maintain its current posture regarding Iran without triggering a legislative vote on the legality of the conflict's duration.
