Congress presses Hegseth on Iran war justification, spending, and conduct

When President Donald Trump initiated strikes against Iran in late February, he did so without explicit backing from Congress, which holds the constitutional authority to declare war. Since then, members have argued over whether Mr. Trump illegally bypassed them.Now, even some Republicans are showing unease about the length and cost of the war, just as a deadline approaches that could test Mr. Trump’s control over military action – and whether Congress has the will to push back.Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president is legally required to notify Congress within 48 hours of military action and is barred from deploying armed forces for more than 60 days without Congress’s permission. On May 1, that 60-day deadline will expire. Why We Wrote This A U.S. law from 1973 sets a 60-day limit for military operations that haven’t been approved by Congress. The Iran conflict is hitting that deadline. It’s the latest test of how Congress – and the president – view the war and their respective powers. On Wednesday, tensions between the White House and Congress came into sharp relief when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth answered questions from the House Armed Services Committee, which pressed him on the administration’s strategy