Congress is divided over whether the war with Iran triggers the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Act.

According to the U.S. War Powers Act of 1973, the President must terminate the use of armed forces within 60 days after initiating military action without congressional authorization. Some lawmakers now argue that May 1 marks the deadline, citing President Trump's notification to Congress on March 2 regarding the commencement of hostilities. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the current ceasefire means the 60-day clock has been paused or stopped.

In response, Senator Adam Schiff said that a ceasefire does not stop the clock and argued that, since the war did not face an imminent threat at its outset, the military action was illegal from the start. Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers, such as Lisa Murkowski, indicated that if the White House fails to present a credible plan next week, they will introduce an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) proposal to fulfill Congress's constitutional oversight duties. It remains uncertain whether President Trump will seek the additional 30-day extension permitted by the Act. (CNN)