Trump’s 60-Day War Powers Deadline Is Tomorrow. The Pentagon Is Briefing Him on More Strikes. Gas Is at $4.23.
The big picture: Tomorrow marks 60 days since Trump formally notified Congress about the Iran war, which is the legal deadline under the War Powers Resolution. Trump has not asked Congress for authorization. The Pentagon is briefing him on three new military options including potential first-ever combat use of America’s hypersonic Dark Eagle missile. Oil hit $126 a barrel. U.S. gas hit $4.23 a gallon. The Defense Secretary told Congress they are “the biggest adversary” America faces. And on Tucker Carlson’s show, Marjorie Taylor Greene said Trump “had to make a deal” with Israel to become president, framing language that has a long, ugly history.
Why it matters: A war the country didn’t authorize is about to break the legal limit. The administration is openly preparing to ignore it. The political coalition that put Trump in power is fracturing into territory that’s getting darker by the week.
The legal deadline
Trump notified Congress about hostilities on March 2nd. The War Powers Resolution gives the president 60 days to either get Congressional authorization or end military action. Tomorrow is day 60. Republicans have already blocked more than 6 resolutions that would have limited Trump’s ability to strike Iran. Democrats are looking at lawsuit options. Trump has previously vetoed war powers resolutions twice before, in 2019 and 2020.
The military options on the table
Per Axios, CENTCOM briefed Trump on three options:
A “short and powerful” wave of strikes including infrastructure targets, intended to break the stalemate
A partial takeover of the Strait of Hormuz, possibly including ground forces
A special forces mission to secure Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile
Bloomberg reports CENTCOM has asked to send the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East. It would be the system’s first combat deployment. The Dark Eagle is reportedly behind schedule and not yet fully operational.
Germany and the aircraft carrier
The aircraft carrier leaving the Middle East isn’t a drawdown. It’s been deployed 309 days, a modern record, and needs repairs. Trump’s announcement of potential troop reductions in Germany was retaliation for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying America was “humiliated” by Iran. Germany hosts about 35,000 U.S. troops, European Command, and is the main supply hub for European operations.
The blockade and the price
Trump met with oil and gas executives this week to plan keeping the blockade in place “for months.” Oil hit $126 a barrel. U.S. gas at $4.23 a gallon, up 42% per AAA. Trump told reporters: “The blockade is genius.”
Iran isn’t budging
Iran’s supreme leader, still not seen publicly since the war began, issued a rare defiant statement vowing to protect Iran’s “nuclear and missile capabilities” and saying Americans belong “at the bottom” of the Persian Gulf. An anonymous Iranian official told the Washington Post: “We have PhDs in sanctions evasion. We will find a way.” Reuters reports Iran has “plentiful internal supplies” and limited immediate stress from blockade losses.
Hegseth round two
Hegseth testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning. Quote: “The biggest adversary we face... Democrats and some Republicans.”
MTG on Tucker
Marjorie Taylor Greene told Tucker Carlson that “every single United States president” makes a deal with Israel to obtain power, and that American officials “pledge their complete allegiance” to a foreign government. The framing has a long history as antisemitic conspiracy and goes well beyond legitimate criticism of foreign policy or lobbying. The underlying public frustration with the war is real. The framing she used isn’t where serious analysis ends up.
By the numbers
60 days, the War Powers Resolution deadline (tomorrow)
0, congressional authorizations Trump has obtained
3, military options briefed to Trump today
$126, oil price per barrel overnight
$4.23, U.S. gas price per gallon
42%, increase in driving costs per AAA
309 days, time the aircraft carrier has been deployed (modern record)
35,000, U.S. troops based in Germany
The bottom line
Tomorrow’s the legal deadline. The administration is preparing to ignore it. The American consumer is paying for it. The political coalition that elected Trump is breaking over it, and some of the loudest voices on his own side are turning to dark conspiracy framings to explain it. None of this is sustainable.
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