The Pentagon chief informed senators that a ceasefire in the Middle East effectively pauses the 60-day war powers timeline. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated on Thursday that American forces could continue their involvement in the conflict with Iran indefinitely, even without explicit congressional authorization, citing the ongoing ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
Hegseth’s broad claim, made during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggested that the cessation of hostilities nullifies the 60-day legal requirement for the U.S. to disengage from the war. This assertion immediately drew strong objections from Democratic lawmakers. They emphasized that existing law mandates the White House either initiate troop withdrawal from the region by Friday or secure congressional approval for the two-month-old conflict.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) cautioned the Pentagon chief, stating, “This is going to pose a really important legal question for the administration. We have serious constitutional concerns here.”
The 1973 War Powers Resolution stipulates that an administration must consult Congress on foreign military activities within 48 hours of troop deployment or strikes and necessitates withdrawal within 60 days unless lawmakers grant authorization for continued operations. The White House is permitted to extend this timeframe by an additional 30 days to facilitate troop withdrawal.
The administration notified Congress of the conflict against Iran on March 2. President Donald Trump has repeatedly extended a ceasefire with Iran amidst intermittent negotiations, which have yet to yield progress toward a peace agreement.
When pressed on the 60-day deadline, Hegseth informed lawmakers that the White House would ultimately decide when the war concludes and when congressional authorization must be sought. “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses, or stops, in a ceasefire,” he explained.
Kaine interpreted Hegseth’s response as evidence “that the White House does not intend to honor the 60 days.” The Virginia Democrat characterized this stance as a direct challenge to lawmakers, who view the War Powers Resolution as crucial for congressional oversight of military actions.
The Senate is scheduled to vote for the sixth time on Thursday on war powers legislation aimed at halting military operations against Iran. This vote is set to occur just one day before the conflict reaches its 60-day mark on Friday.
Advocates of war powers legislation contend that the ceasefire does not suspend the 60-day clock. They point out that while aerial bombardments against Iran have temporarily ceased, the U.S. military remains engaged in the conflict through actions such as blockading Iranian ports.
The conflict is almost certain to exceed this deadline, with no authorization having been filed for a vote.
Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine faced numerous questions regarding the war against Iran during the budget hearing, where they defended the Trump administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget. Both officials had also advocated for the budget blueprint in the House on Wednesday.
The Pentagon chief reiterated his praise for the U.S. military campaign in Iran, asserting its resounding success. However, similar to his House testimony on Wednesday, he provided no clear timeline for the conflict’s conclusion or an exit strategy.
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