President Donald Trump formally notified lawmakers this weekend that the nation is once again at war with Iran, giving his administration another 60-day clock to use the military in the region without congressional approval.
In a letter to Congress dated July 10, obtained by POLITICO, Trump stated that the strikes that began on July 7 represent “military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States’ interests both at home and abroad.”
The on-again, off-again war has proved very difficult for Trump to resolve, as the two nations wrestle over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital choke point for world energy supplies. Trump has fumed about an inability to strike a peace deal with Iran, while Republicans worry about being blamed for high gas prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump further ratcheted up military pressure against Iran on Monday, declaring that the U.S. will reimpose a blockade and will take over the strait, charging ships to transit the waterway.
