The assertion came during a tense exchange before the Senate Armed Services Committee, where Hegseth faced sharp questions from Democratic members who warned the administration was flouting a federal law that requires either withdrawal or authorization by Friday.
At issue is the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which mandates that the president consult Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces into hostilities and requires the withdrawal of those forces within 60 days unless lawmakers authorize continued operations. The White House can extend that timeline by 30 days to facilitate a safe withdrawal. The administration formally notified Congress of the war against Iran on March 2, setting a deadline that both parties acknowledged is now imminent.
Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, directly challenged Hegseth on the clock. “This is going to pose a really important legal question for the administration,” Kaine warned. “We have serious constitutional concerns here.” He pressed the Pentagon chief on whether the White House would begin withdrawing troops or seek congressional approval by the Friday cutoff.
Hegseth responded by arguing that the ongoing ceasefire between the United States and Iran changes the legal calculus. “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses, or stops, in a ceasefire,” he said. He added that President Donald Trump and the White House would ultimately decide when the war ends and when to seek authorization from Congress.
The ceasefire, which President Trump has repeatedly extended amid stop-and-start negotiations, has so far failed to produce meaningful progress toward a peace deal. Hegseth’s interpretation of the War Powers Resolution drew immediate objections from Democrats, who argued that the law does not contain a pause provision for temporary halts in fighting. They warned that allowing the administration to indefinitely extend the conflict without congressional consent would set a dangerous precedent for executive war powers.
The exchange underscored a deepening constitutional standoff between the executive branch and Congress over the scope of presidential authority to wage war. Kaine and other committee Democrats signaled they would press the administration further, potentially through legislative or legal means, if the White House does not comply with the Friday deadline. Hegseth, for his part, offered no indication that the Pentagon would alter its posture in the region.
