Congress ignores key deadline as Republicans ready 'restraint' on Trump's war in Iran

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Congress left Washington, D.C., without flexing its legal muscle against President Donald Trump's Iran war, despite growing concern among Republicans about what comes next in the Middle East.The 60-day deadline, enshrined into law by the War Powers Act Resolution, requires that Congress authorize or halt the war. That mark came and went Friday while lawmakers were back home.While Senate Democrats have voted six times in lockstep to handcuff Trump’s war powers in Iran, Republicans broadly have not wanted to interfere with the administration’s plans.DEMOCRATS FAIL TO SHATTER REPUBLICANS' RESOLVE ON EVE OF CRUCIAL IRAN DEADLINE President Donald Trump speaks about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington on April 1, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he didn’t see a desire from most Republicans to take action on the deadline and noted that lawmakers were getting "readouts from our military leadership on a somewhat regular basis" to guide their decision-making.Still, some Republicans want to put guardrails on Trump when Congress returns.Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been working on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that she described as more than