Democrats in Congress are discussing a potential lawsuit against US President Donald Trump over the war on Iran, Time Magazine has reported, citing multiple sources.
The debate is intensifying as a 60-day legal deadline, falling on May 1, approaches, under which the White House must obtain congressional authorization for the war or halt the operation. The White House has not indicated it plans to seek approval, the outlet wrote on Tuesday.
Democrats say the war violates US law, as Trump initiated it without congressional approval and could continue operations beyond the legal limit.
However, Democrats are divided over how to respond. Some, according to Time, say Congress could have a legal case and are exploring a lawsuit if Trump ignores the deadline. Others argue litigation is unlikely to succeed, noting courts have historically dismissed such disputes as “political questions.” Party leaders are instead focusing on legislative measures.
Those efforts, however, have repeatedly failed. War-powers resolutions aimed at limiting the president’s authority were blocked in both the Senate and the House, while attempts to restrict funding through amendments to spending bills were also rejected by Republicans. House Democrats also introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over alleged unauthorized military action, but the measure did not advance in the Republican-controlled chamber.
The conflict, meanwhile, remains unresolved despite a temporary ceasefire. The US has rejected Iran’s latest proposal and canceled planned talks, while Tehran has refused to negotiate under current conditions. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remain in place.
Amid the stalled diplomacy, Trump has signaled he may escalate the conflict, posting a militaristic image of himself on social media alongside the caption “No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
“Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!” he wrote on Wednesday.
Trump’s approval rating has slipped to around 40% in multiple recent polls, with the Iran war itself ranking among the least popular US military actions in modern history, and roughly six in ten Americans saying it was the wrong decision.