Hegseth Doubted on Iran War Pause Claim, “No Timeouts Like in a Football Game” Senator Says

President Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Friday, May 1 — the deadline to end the fighting in Iran or to extend it under the War Powers Resolution — that the ongoing ceasefire “pauses” the clock on the 60-day deadline.

[NOTE: The Trump administration did not seek congressional approval when it initiated U.S. military strikes in Iran in February. Members of Congress, who would be asked to provide the extension, started a week-long recess on May 2.]

As seen below on ABC This Week, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to Hegseth’s claim that the administration does not need congressional authorization to continue the war in Iran. Addressing the timeframe, Reed said, “The language of the statutes does not provide for timeouts like in a football game. From the day you begin, 60 days, the president has to comply with the law.”

Reed also noted that “there can be a 30-day extension to 90 days…but that has to be requested by the President. We have to be notified. No such notification has come through. The President’s ignoring the law. He does that constantly.”

As seen below on Fox News, Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Reed, saying his objections to the war in Iran make him part of the “surrender lobby.” Bessent characterized the war in Iran as “an international humanitarian operation,” and said it was “sad” that Reed is “believing the Iran propaganda.”

Bessent contended Reed is a victim of propaganda when he says Iranians control the Strait of Hormuz. But if the U.S., and not Iran, is currently in control, that fact is not reflected in the shipping data, with The New York Times reporting that Bob Savage, the head of markets strategy at BNY, wrote a research note on Monday saying that “the number of vessels passing the strait remain minimal, averaging five a day, but with only three in the last 48 hours.”