Khaberni - President Donald Trump hinted on Friday that he does not intend to ask Congress for approval to continue any military action against Iran when the 60-day deadline given by law, before he must seek lawmakers' authorization, expires.
Trump told reporters at the White House, "I don’t think what they are asking for is constitutional. Those who demand this measure are not patriots."
He added, "No one has asked for this measure before, and no one has ever asked for it, so why should we do it?"
Trump considered that the ceasefire that came into effect on April 8 has given him "more time," which somewhat suspends the countdown.
According to the U.S. Constitution, only Congress has the authority to "declare" war.
However, a law passed in 1973 allows the president to initiate limited military action in response to an emergency arising from an attack on the United States.
The text of the law indicates that the president must obtain authorization from the legislative authority if troops are deployed for more than 60 days, which is different from declaring war.
The war against Iran started on February 28, but the White House’s official notification to Congress about the start of the attacks was not issued until two days later.
The 60-day deadline, after which authorization must be obtained, ends on Friday.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Democrats have repeatedly tried to pass legislation that limits Trump's military powers against Iran, but they have not succeeded.
However, some Republican lawmakers have warned that after this period expires, they may start demanding that the White House obtain a congressional mandate.
But in the absence of sufficient support from conservatives, the Democrats have no effective means to force the government to comply with the deadline.
