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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump told Congress that the Iran war is over. What?
What happened? Friday marks a legal deadline for Trump, after which he will be required to halt US military operations around Iran. But according to Trump, he already has: The president wrote in a letter to Congress on Friday that the Iran war is “on hold” thanks to the US-Iran ceasefire, which remains in effect without a firm deadline.
“There has been no exchange of fire between US Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026,” Trump wrote in the letter. “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have been suspended.”
Is it true? Not true, given all available evidence. While the US and Iran have not engaged in the kind of high-profile hostilities that marked the early weeks of the conflict, the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains. (Last month, The US even opened fire on an Iranian-flagged ship allegedly trying to breach the embargo — in Trump’s words, “punching a hole in the engine room.”)
US forces also remain in place near Iran, and there is always the possibility that a conflict could occur restart at full power – something that Trump has continued to threaten as a plan to end the conflict does not completely elude him.
What is the context? Trump’s letter is an apparent attempt to skirt the War Powers Resolution, which requires the United States to end its participation in military conflicts within 60 days of notifying Congress of their initiation, unless Congress votes to authorize the conflict. (It hasn’t happened. There’s also the possibility of a 30-day extension to that 60-day deadline, which the Trump administration has also not pursued.)
And so, it’s time to leave…
Readers, happy May Day! Here they are two secrets to cheer you up for the weekend, from my colleagues at Vox’s It is indescribable podcast. I’ll keep them vague here – if you want to learn more, the podcast is a great listen. Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Monday!
