U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Defense on April 30, 2026, at the Capitol in Washington, DC.
Eric Lee | Reuters
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump does not need Congressional approval to resume attacks on Iran, despite exceeding the 60-day limit allowed by federal law.
Hegseth’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday came after the Trump administration exceeded the 60-day deadline required by the 1973 War Powers Resolution to seek Congressional authorization for the use of military force. The administration said in early May that it was not seeking approval because hostilities with Iran had ceased.
But Hegseth, responding to a question from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), said Trump has the authority to renew attacks if he deems it necessary.
“If the president decides to reopen, we will have all the powers necessary to do so,” Hegseth said.
Mr. Mukavsky further pressed Mr. Hegseth, asking, “Would it be helpful to the president if it were revealed that Congress did in fact provide the AUMF?”
“Our view is that the president has all the necessary powers under Article II,” Hegseth said, referring to the U.S. Constitution’s presidential powers clause.
Hegseth was on Capitol Hill to testify about the administration’s massive budget request of nearly $1.5 trillion for fiscal year 2027. But war with Iran loomed large during the hearing, especially as the United States and Iran remain at odds under negotiations and an uneasy ceasefire to end the conflict.
The war, now in its third month, has caused gasoline prices to skyrocket in the United States. oil Oil prices will soar globally as Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, which carried 20% of the world’s oil before the Iran war.
Under the War Powers Resolution, President Trump is required to seek consent from Congress if he intends to use military force continuously for more than 60 days. The administration argues that the law is unconstitutional and that the president has the authority to conduct military operations under Article 2 of the Constitution.
The president informed Congress on May 1, the day that would have been the deadline for congressional approval, that hostilities had ceased.
However, Mr. Mukavsky appeared to express concerns about the government’s interpretation of the decree.
“The War Powers Resolution here is very clear: The president is required to cease hostilities within 60 days unless authorized by Congress,” she said. “Looks like the hostilities aren’t over yet.”
