Trump administration rejects need for Iran war Congressional approval despite deadline – US politics live

Trump administration rejects war powers deadline as Senate Republicans block resolution Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the day. Today marks 60 days since the Trump administration notified Congress that it was carrying out strikes on Iran – meaning that under the War Powers Act of 1973 , today is the deadline for Donald Trump to either end the Iran war or seek congressional authorization to extend it. However, the Trump administration has repeatedly rejected the deadline, with Pete Hegseth , the defense secretary, testifying before a heated Senate armed services committee that the ceasefire agreement reached with Iran more than three weeks ago “means the 60-day clock pauses, or stops” . Hegseths’s comments reflect what a senior Trump administration official told the Guardian earlier: “For war powers resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated,” the official said. On Thursday, Senate Republicans again blocked a war powers resolution put forth by Democrat Adam Schiff that would have limited the conflict until Congress authorizes further military action. This was the sixth time that Democrats have forced a vote on a war powers resolution related to the war in Iran , all of which have failed, mostly along party lines. …