President Trump sent a letter to Congress on July 13, 2026, saying that fighting with Iran resumed on July 7. The letter starts a new 60-day period during which the U.S. military can operate under the War Powers Resolution. Reuters

The War Powers Resolution is a 1973 law that says the president must tell Congress within 48 hours when U.S. forces enter armed conflict. It also says the military can only act for 60 days without Congress voting to approve a longer mission. Reuters first reported the letter. Politico and The Hill both confirmed it. Politico reported that the administration sees the letter as resetting the 60-day clock for military action. Politico The Hill reported that under the War Powers Resolution, the president can extend the military's stay beyond the initial 60 days. The Hill

NPR reported on July 16 that the administration issued the notification specifically to restart that 60-day countdown for military action against Iran. NPR

Congress has pushed back against the Iran conflict for months. The House voted on June 3, 2026, to pass a resolution to stop U.S. military action against Iran, according to the Associated Press. AP The Senate passed its own version on June 23. AP

The administration's stance on Iran has shifted. In early May, Trump said he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest proposal to end the war. He said Iran's leadership was "disjointed." At that time, the Associated Press reported that Trump said hostilities with Iran had "terminated." AP The July notification reverses that statement.

The administration has taken several executive actions on Iran since February. On February 6, 2026, Trump signed Executive Order 14382, "Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Iran." It reaffirmed a national emergency with respect to Iran and set up a process to impose tariffs. The White House published a fact sheet the same day. The White House Office of Management and Budget also released a Statement of Administration Policy about Iran regarding actions "That Have Not Been Authorized by Congress," dated April 30, 2026.

As of July 14, the White House website listed no notification, statement, or entry related to Iran or the War Powers Resolution among its first-page items from June 29 through July 14.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said publicly that the administration met its notification requirements under the War Powers Act. In a June 2025 transcript on defense.gov, Hegseth said Congress was notified about a military action after planes were safely out of the operation. DoD

The broader context here is a disagreement over who controls the military. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, but presidents have long used the War Powers Resolution to act first and notify Congress after. Think of the 60-day clock like a kitchen timer: each time the administration says hostilities resumed, it argues the timer starts over from zero. Congress says the conflict is one ongoing engagement under a single 60-day period. Congress passed resolutions in both chambers to challenge the administration's reading. The administration has not said whether it considers those resolutions binding, and the April 30 Statement of Administration Policy referencing actions "not authorized by Congress" suggests the White House may contest any legislative limit on the president's authority to direct military operations against Iran.

The 60-day clock triggered by the July 13 notification would run into mid-September 2026.