A crucial legal deadline expires on Friday in which US President Donald Trump faces the choice of ending the war on Iran or going to Congress to request its extension, amid a sharp division within the legislative institution regarding war powers. There were no signs of a halt to the fighting, at a time when attention is turning to an upcoming decision that may determine the course of the conflict, with chances that it will be extended or the deadline ignored in light of the escalating tension between Democrats and Republicans.

Published on: 01/05/2026 - 00:17 Last updated: 01/05/2026 - 04:23

The deadline granted to US President Donald Trump to stop the war on Iran or go to Congress to request a justified extension expires on Friday, amid expectations that it will pass without change in a conflict that has become more like a confrontation over shipping routes.

Many believe that the possibility of ending the war remains very weak.

Analysts and members of Congress believe that Trump will either notify Congress of his desire to extend the war for an additional 30 days, or ignore the deadline completely, considering the current ceasefire as an end to the conflict.

The issue of war powers has become a highly partisan issue in a divided Congress. Democrats are calling for Congress to reaffirm Congress's constitutional right to declare war, while Republicans are accusing their opponents of seeking to use the law to weaken Trump.

Since the outbreak of the war, Democrats have made repeated attempts to force Trump to withdraw American forces or obtain authorization from Congress, but the small majority of Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives voted against those projects almost unanimously.

The War Powers Act of 1973 requires the president to end any conflict after 60 days unless he receives authorization to continue it, with an exceptional 30-day extension available in the event of “imperative military necessity related to the safety of the United States Armed Forces.”

The American-Israeli war on Iran broke out on February 28, and Trump informed Congress about it 48 hours later, as stipulated by law, beginning the 60-day period ending on May 1.

Read also: Trump threatens to withdraw American forces from Italy and Spain amid an escalating dispute with NATO

A fragile truce

An American official explained that Trump will be informed on Thursday of plans to launch new raids on Iran to force it to negotiate to end the conflict.

If fighting resumes, Trump can announce the start of a new legal deadline of 60 days, a procedure that has been used by presidents of both parties since the War Powers Act was passed, which Congress adopted, overriding President Richard Nixon's veto.

Iran confirmed on Thursday that it would respond with "prolonged and painful strikes" on American sites if the attacks resume, which complicates Washington's efforts to build an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Opinion polls indicate that Americans do not support war on Iran, before the midterm elections scheduled after six months, which will determine the party controlling Congress.

Trump's popularity fell this month to the lowest level in his current term, with a wide segment of Americans holding the war responsible for the high cost of living.

However, Trump still has strong control over his Republican Party, with limited opposition to his policies, while Republicans continue to strongly support Israel and welcome the weakening of Iran.

“It's party affiliation, quite simply... Republicans refuse to challenge the president,” said Christopher Prebble, a researcher at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington.

"Active conversations"

The White House has not yet said how it intends to proceed, or whether it will seek authorization from Congress to use military force against Iran.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The administration is in active conversations with Congress on this issue. Members of Congress who are trying to achieve political gain by taking away the authority of the Commander-in-Chief will only undermine the US military abroad, and that is something no elected official should do.”

The US Constitution places the power to declare war exclusively with Congress, with the exception of short-term operations or those linked to an immediate threat.

A few Republicans who previously opposed the war powers bills said they might reconsider their positions after May 1.

Republican Senator John Curtis from Utah published an article in which he declared his support for Trump's current measures, while rejecting the continuation of military operations after the deadline expires without the approval of Congress.

On the other hand, other Republicans preferred to wait for developments in the coming days before taking any step.

Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the Republican majority leader in the Senate, said that a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran would be the "ideal" scenario, but he indicated to reporters that he did not rule out a possible vote on authorization for war.

He went on to tell reporters, "We are listening, and of course we are trying to stay informed of what is going on, and we are getting regular updates from the administration on the progress being made."

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer co-sponsored draft resolutions to end the war, and said in a speech to the Senate, “Republicans know that Trump’s handling of this war is disastrous. They see the extent of the suffering that the American people are facing at the present time.”

He concluded by asking, “How many war powers resolutions do Democrats have to introduce before Senate Republicans do the right thing?”

France 24/AFP

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