60 Days into an Illegal War, The Administration is Out of Bogus Excuses to Remain in Iran Without Congressional Approval

Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration has been waging an illegal, unconstitutional war in Iran for more than 60 days now. Watchdogs are doubling down on their calls to end this unsanctioned and unpopular war. David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), issued the following statement:

“For two months now, the Trump administration has been waging an illegal war on Iran. Instead of standing up for the Constitution and the people it serves, Congress has rolled over and, in its failure to act, allowed the president to unilaterally commit our military to another destructive conflict in the Middle East with no clear offramp.

“Now we are at the 60-day mark, which, according to the War Powers Resolution, is the deadline for presidents to end hostilities — even those responding to an ‘imminent threat,’— that have not been sanctioned by Congress.

“Contrary to the claims made by the administration, the ceasefire in Iran does not pause the 60-day clock, and the war in Iran is not over. The U.S. Navy is enforcing a blockade against Iranian shipping, which constitutes hostilities under the War Powers Resolution.

“Let me be clear: This war should never have started. It has always been illegal. It’s time our representatives finally listen to the calls from Americans on both sides of the aisle to end this war.

“As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s testimony before Congress this week showed, there was no ‘imminent threat’ that would allow the executive branch to unilaterally start a war. But now that we have reached Day 60, the president has zero legal standing to continue hostilities in Iran without Congress’s approval. The U.S. military must end hostilities toward Iran immediately. And absent immediate action from the Pentagon, Congress must reclaim its constitutional powers and finally vote to end this war.”