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Press Release
Claims of a “New” Iran Conflict Attempt to Dodge the Law
Government watchdogs are calling for an end to this costly and unsanctioned war.
Washington, D.C. —The Trump administration’s formal notification to lawmakers that the nation is at war with Iran is a continuation of an illegal war that never truly ended. David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), issued the following statement:
"Make no mistake: this is not a new conflict with Iran. It's the same unauthorized war the Trump administration started on February 28th, now relabeled so the president can claim a fresh 60 days he has no legal right to.
“This war should never have started. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth all but admitted as much to Congress in April, conceding Iran's nuclear facilities had already been 'obliterated' — undercutting the supposed 'imminent threat' the administration used to bypass Congress in the first place. The original 60-day deadline for the Trump administration to get Congress's approval for war or to get out landed on May 1st, and came and went with no such authorization. A new letter to Congress doesn't erase two and a half months of illegal war. It's an attempt to bury it under a new filing date.
“The U.S. must end hostilities with Iran now. Congress has passed symbolic resolutions, but that's no longer enough. If the Pentagon won't stand down, Congress must use every power it has, including the power of the purse, to bring this illegal war to an end."