00:01A senior official in U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said on Thursday
00:05that the current U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which began in early April, terminated hostilities
00:11between the two sides for the purposes of an approaching congressional war powers deadline.
00:16Trump faced a Friday deadline to end the Iran war or make the case to Congress for extending it,
00:22as the start of fighting in the Middle East passed the two-month mark.
00:25Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president can wage military action for only 60 days before
00:33ending it. The Iran conflict began on February 28, when Israel and the United States began airstrikes
00:39on Iran. Trump formally notified Congress of the conflict 48 hours later, starting the 60-day
00:45deadline clock that ends May 1. Democrats have also tried repeatedly to pass resolutions to force Trump
00:52to withdraw U.S. forces or obtain congressional authorization, which Republicans have voted
00:57down almost unanimously. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off 20 percent of the world's
01:03oil and gas supplies, sending global energy prices surging. Speaking to reporters on Thursday,
01:09Trump predicted a sharp price drop once the war ends.
01:12The gas will go down. As soon as the war's over, it'll drop like a rock. There's so much out
01:17there.
01:17It's all over the place, sitting all over the oceans of the world. And it'll be, it'll go down.
01:23Global oil prices earlier briefly hit a four-year high of more than $126 a barrel over concerns that
01:31the conflict could lead to a prolonged crisis.
01:33To Secretary Hegseth and General Cain, the War Powers Resolution specifies that a war initiated by
01:39a president without congressional approval must be concluded within 60 days. It can be extended
01:46by an additional 30 days if, quote, the president determines and certifies to Congress in writing
01:52that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of the U.S. armed forces requires the
01:58continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces.
02:05We're right at the 60-day deadline. Is the president intending to either seek congressional
02:11authorization for the war in Iran or send us the legally required certification that he needs an
02:18additional 30 days to remove U.S. forces from the war?
02:23Just briefly on the previous question, we do know that these are designated terrorist organizations,
02:28so we treat them like the al-Qaeda of our hemisphere. Just as a note.
02:31But that was not the question I asked.
02:33I know there's more to that question. I just think it's important for the public to understand that.
02:37There's no willy-nilly targeting of drug boats. We know exactly who these people are affiliated with.
02:42I was asking about what's on the boats.
02:43On Iran. Ultimately, I would defer to the White House and White House Council on that.
02:48However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or
02:55stops in a ceasefire. So you're not in. It's our understanding, just so you know.
02:59Okay.
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