Trump Ceasefire Iran, up close

President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war. Trump Ceasefire Iran has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Canada.

Key facts

• President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war.
• But in a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said he does not have to comply with that war powers act as the ceasefire agreed with Iran last month had paused the clock on any such obligation.
• On the 60th day since he formally notified Congress of strikes against Iran, Trump wrote to congressional leaders on Friday: "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026.
• Donald Trump said in a letter sent to congressional leaders on Friday that hostilities with Iran have “terminated”, suggesting that the 60-day deadline to seek approval from the legislative branch no longer applied.
• In the letter, dated 1 May, Trump said he initiated Operation Epic Fury against Iran and notified Congress on 28 February “consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests”.

What we know

Going deeper, But in a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said he does not have to comply with that war powers act as the ceasefire agreed with Iran last month had paused the clock on any such obligation.

On the substance, On the 60th day since he formally notified Congress of strikes against Iran, Trump wrote to congressional leaders on Friday: "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026.

Beyond the headlines, Donald Trump said in a letter sent to congressional leaders on Friday that hostilities with Iran have “terminated”, suggesting that the 60-day deadline to seek approval from the legislative branch no longer applied.

More precisely, In the letter, dated 1 May, Trump said he initiated Operation Epic Fury against Iran and notified Congress on 28 February “consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests”.

It is worth noting that In an exchange with the Democratic senator Tim Kaine, who has forced a vote on several ultimately unsuccessful war powers resolutions on the Iran war, Hegseth claimed that “the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire”.

By the numbers

“On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire,” the letter, addressed to Republican House speaker Mike Johnson and Republican senator Chuck Grassley, the president pro tempore of the Senate, continues. “The ceasefire has since been extended.

On a related note, US to cut troop levels in Germany by 5,000 amid Trump spat with Merz.

Going deeper, Friday marks 60 days since the US president notified members of Congress that the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February.

On the substance, there has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026.

What they're saying

“President Trump entered this war without a strategy and without legal authorization and today’s announcement doesn’t change either fact,” Shaheen wrote.

“I do not believe the statute would support that,” Kaine said, adding that Trump’s prosecution of the war raised “serious constitutional concerns”.

“That’s bullshit” the Senator minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said on X. “This is an illegal war and every day Republicans remain complicit and allow it to continue is another day lives are endangered, chaos erupts, and prices increase, all while Americans foot the bill.”

The wider context

On a related note, the president writes that hostilities "have terminated" because of the ceasefire, arguing he does not need congressional authorisation.

Going deeper, But Trump told reporters: "We just had a conversation with Iran.

On the substance, Democratic-led attempts in both chambers of Congress to constrain Trump in the case of Iran have repeatedly failed.

Beyond the headlines, Trump’s letter underscores an interpretation of the War Powers Act that is fiercely contested by legal scholars and Democrats, who have argued for weeks that the president’s war in Iran tramples the separation of powers between the three branches of government.

More precisely, the US and Iran have not yet reached a longer-term peace deal via talks, though Iranian media reported a new proposal from Tehran sent via Pakistan on Friday.

The bottom line

• The president writes that hostilities "have terminated" because of the ceasefire, arguing he does not need congressional authorisation.
• There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026.
• The US and Iran have not yet reached a longer-term peace deal via talks, though Iranian media reported a new proposal from Tehran sent via Pakistan on Friday.