Trump slams critics for claiming US not winning Iran war

President Donald Trump on Friday slammed critics who claimed the United States was not winning the Iran war, even as he asserted that American hostilities against the Islamic republic had ended.

In a May 1 letter to lawmakers obtained by USA Today, Trump said there had been no exchange of fire between US forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. “The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” he wrote, arguing that the conflict was effectively over.

Trump’s remarks came as he brushed aside the War Powers Resolution, which requires the president to seek congressional approval to continue military engagement after 60 days. May 1 marked the 60th day since Trump formally notified Congress of hostilities on March 2. Under the law, the White House would need legislative approval to continue fighting.

The president dismissed the requirement, saying it was now a moot point because the United States was no longer bombing Iran. However, his letter also stressed that the US military presence in the Middle East remained necessary due to “the threat posed by Iran.”

Trump’s claim that the war had ended stood in contrast to the continued large-scale US military build-up in the region, including a naval blockade of Iranian ports ordered by the president.

The 1973 legislation does not mention any exception in the case of a ceasefire, and White House officials declined to comment on how they interpreted the statute in this instance.

Meanwhile, Trump said he was “not satisfied” with Iran’s latest peace proposal, which Pakistani mediators conveyed to the United States on Thursday. Later in the day, he escalated his rhetoric, calling critics of the US war effort “treasonous.”

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