President Trump notifies US Congress of resumed War in Iran
US President Donald Trump formally notified lawmakers over the weekend that the United States has resumed active military operations against Iran, effectively restarting a controversial 60-day legal clock to deploy forces in the region without congressional consent according to a new report by Politico.
In a letter to Congress dated July 10, Trump categorized the strikes, which commenced on July 7—as military action vital to protecting American lives and safeguarding United States interests both domestically and abroad
The highly volatile conflict has presented a persistent challenge for the administration, particularly as both nations struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil transit.
Trump has privately vented his frustration over the inability to secure a lasting peace deal, while congressional Republicans remain deeply concerned that unstable energy markets could impact voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Tensions escalated further on Monday when Trump declared that the U.S. will reimpose a maritime blockade and establish total operational control over the strait, charging a fee to commercial vessels transiting the waterway. The Breakdown of the CeasefireThe notification officially signals the collapse of the fragile, weeks-long truce between Washington and Tehran.
While the administration previously claimed that the April ceasefire paused the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day operational limit, opponents on Capitol Hill argued that active naval blockades constituted ongoing hostilities, meaning the clock never truly stopped. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces have struck more than 300 military targets in Iran over the past week, retaliating against renewed threats to shipping lanes.
On Monday, CENTCOM launched an additional wave of offensive operations under direct presidential orders. “These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in an official statement.
The administration previously notified Congress in May that the initial military offensive launched in February had “terminated,” a maneuver designed to negate the 60-day limit. Critics have strongly rejected this interpretation, asserting that the brief ceasefire did not erase the president’s statutory obligation to obtain congressional authorization.
The renewed notification is expected to intensify the ongoing legislative battle to curb executive war powers. Last month, the Senate voted 50-48 to halt unauthorized hostilities in a symbolic but notable rebuke of the administration’s military policy.
That vote succeeded because four Republicans broke ranks to join Democrats, capitalizing on the high-profile absences of Senators Dave McCormick and Mitch McConnell. A similar measure previously passed the House in a 215-208 vote.
However, the actual legal impact of these concurrent resolutions remains heavily restricted, as they do not go to the president’s desk for a signature and are highly unlikely to survive a White House veto.
In his latest address to lawmakers, Trump made it clear that he believes the executive branch has full authority to dictate the scope of the campaign:
“U.S. forces remain postured to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats and attacks upon the United States or its allies and partners and to ensure the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ceases being a threat to the United States and to our allies and partners.”