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Trump’s War in Iran Nears Critical Deadline

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UNITED STATES - APRIL 6: President Donald Trump conducts a news conference in the White House briefing room about the war in Iran on Monday, April 6, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Airdate: Thursday, April 30 at 9 AM

When President Trump sent troops into Iran, he did so without a green light from congress. Now he faces a deadline on May 1 to either end the war in Iran or secure official approval from congress. That timeline is laid out under the War Powers Resolution, a law that allows presidents to start wars without congressional approval. Democrats in Congress have tried and failed to pass multiple resolutions to halt the war. Meanwhile, the war is losing support from Republican lawmakers, who have not proposed a vote to approve it. We’ll talk about the war in Iran, lawmakers’ efforts to stop it so far, and whether the Trump administration is feeling any pressure from the 60-day deadline.

Guests:

Harold Hongju Koh, professor of international law, Yale Law School; legal advisor to the U.S. Department of State from 2009-2013

Mark DeSaulnier, U.S. Congressman representing California's 10th district (the East Bay)

Robert Jimison, congressional reporter covering foreign policy, defense and national security issues, The New York Times

Elisa Ewers, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

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