War Powers 60-Day Deadline Expires — Trump Declares Iran War 'Terminated'; Senate Rejects WPR for 6th Time (47–50)

The War Powers Resolution 60-day clock expired on May 1, 2026 — Day 63 of the conflict — triggering a constitutional showdown between the Trump administration and Congress. The administration offered twin arguments to sidestep the requirement for congressional authorization: first, Defense Secretary Hegseth told senators the war's 60-day clock 'pauses or stops' because of the April 8 ceasefire — a claim constitutional law experts immediately rejected. Professor Bruce Fein told media the WPR 'never says anywhere' that the clock stops for a ceasefire, calling the interpretation a move that 'turns the resolution into simply a paper tiger.' The second argument — that the Trump administration could claim the war has been 'terminated' before the deadline — was similarly disputed, with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) stating: 'Ceasing to use some forces while using others does not somehow stop the clock.' The Senate voted 47 to 50 to reject a War Powers Resolution for the sixth time during the conflict — but notably, for the first time Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine broke with her party and voted with Democrats. Rand Paul (R-KY) also voted against the administration, as he had done in previous votes. Despite the failed vote, the bipartisan erosion in Republican Senate support for the war signaled growing pressure on the White House to define a formal legal authorization or exit strategy. No House equivalent measure advanced. Constitutional scholars noted that federal courts have historically been reluctant to adjudicate War Powers Resolution disputes, leaving the legal question unresolved as military operations continued.