The Deadline to End the War by G. Doug Davis and Michael O. Slobodchikoff
A key legal deadline is approaching which has drastic implications for the Iran War and any settlement that may occur. When Donald Trump decided to go to war with Iran without making his case to the American people or seeking congressional approval, his decision triggered the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
According to the law, presidents have blanket congressional authorization to engage in limited conflict as long as the conflict is less than ninety days. It requires the president to submit a written report to Congress within forty-eight hours of beginning military operations. The 2026 Iran War began on February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel launched tens of thousands of strikes on Tehran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. The president then had 48 hours to inform Congress in writing, and that letter would have been filed no later than March 2.
Once Congress received the document, the president had a deadline of sixty days to gain congressional authorization for the conflict or to begin to withdraw troops from the conflict zone. This deadline arrives on Friday, May 1, 2026. If the legislative branch does not provide its approval for the conflict, Trump must bring troops home within thirty days. In other words, Trump has until May 31st to end the conflict and bring troops home.
It is surprising that this deadline, which is important in how the US manages the war, has received limited media attention. Yet, its deadlines constrain U.S. war management. Legally, Trump must begin withdrawing troops from the combat zone on May 1, 2026. One advantage for Trump is that the US relied extensively on airpower and special forces and required fewer deployments than previous conflicts. Continuing an embargo on Iranian ports would be legally possible following this deadline, because the request must argue for a need to continue operations while withdrawing U.S. personnel, but more difficult to execute. Even if Trump continues an embargo while drawing down troops, the embargo must end no later than May 31 unless Trump receives Congressional authorization for the war.
The War Powers Resolution incentivizes short conflicts, but may provide strategic leverage to America’s adversaries when longer conflicts, such as our current Iran War, are required. For example, the Iranian government is aware of these deadlines and as more time passes, its incentives to reach an agreement with Washington decrease. It will become increasingly difficult for Trump to find a mutually-agreeable solution to the conflict. Every day that passes strengthens Iran’s bargaining leverage and increases the concessions required for a deal. If Trump needs a deal for domestic political reasons, Teheran will be more evasive and adopt more hardline positions.
The president has not made the case for the war to the public and fewer Americans support the Iran War than any conflict since the Vietnam War. Further, even people within the president’s close orbit have begun to quietly oppose the conflict. Due to these two factors, Congress is unlikely to authorize the war as long as Iran doesn’t escalate the conflict. In neglecting to gain public or congressional support, the president has chosen to limit war’s duration. The War Powers resolution has existed for over fifty years. Not taking into account the law when initiating this conflict without widespread support is nothing short of strategic failure and hubris.
Ultimately, the War Powers Act and its requirements may force Trump to agree to suboptimal conditions that do not address Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Agreements between Tehran and Washington are likely to be limited to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This seems to be the best possible outcome. Iran gains strategic leverage by delaying negotiations. If the president is forced to withdraw troops and cease the war efforts without an agreement, it is a strategic victory for the Iranians. The unfortunate reality is that if the Iran regime survives the war, it will be seen as a victory over the United States and Israel. Every day that passes, the U.S. loses leverage over Teheran and increases the incentives for Washington to approve a deal that will not achieve its war objectives. The likely resolution will not take away Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the same dilemma will confront future American leaders. Trump’s decision to wage war against Iran will not strengthen America’s position globally but rather require that future presidents will have to address Tehran’s nuclear aspirations.
