Republican members of Congress are declining to challenge President Donald Trump on military operations in Iran as a May 1 deadline under the War Powers Act of 1973 approaches without action. The law requires Congress to declare war or authorize the use of force within 60 days of military operations beginning, or within 90 days if the president requests an extension. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed unease about the Iran conflict for weeks, but are stopping short of formal intervention as the deadline passes.
The reluctance to defy Trump arrives at a politically sensitive moment for Republicans. Public frustration over the conflict is growing, particularly regarding its impact on gas prices and broader economic concerns. Despite earlier signals that some Republicans might invoke the War Powers Act requirement, no such action is materializing from GOP lawmakers in Congress.
In other Supreme Court-related developments, Louisiana's congressional primaries have been suspended following a federal court ruling that struck down a majority Black congressional district in the state. Republican Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order Thursday suspending the primary elections scheduled for May 16 to allow state lawmakers time to redraw House districts. Early voting had been set to begin Saturday. Primaries for other state offices will proceed as scheduled. President Trump has called on other states to consider revising their districts in response to the ruling.
The Supreme Court has dealt a significant blow to the Voting Rights Act, eliminating a major provision that had protected against racial discrimination in voting and representation for six decades. The decision follows more than a decade of earlier court rulings that undermined other key sections of the landmark legislation. Voting and civil rights advocates warn that the decisions will hollow out the law's protections and lead to severe erosion of minority representation in elected office.
Federal prosecutors released video footage Thursday showing an armed man attempting to breach security at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for Washington posted the video on social media as questions arose about who fired the shot that struck a Secret Service officer. Prosecutors stated Thursday that there is no evidence the officer was struck by friendly fire, contradicting earlier uncertainty about the source of the gunshot during the incident.
In a separate action, President Trump signed legislation funding much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the longest agency shutdown in history. The bipartisan package had passed the House earlier Thursday. The shutdown, which lasted more than 70 days, occurred after Democrats refused to fund Trump's immigration enforcement operations without modifications. Republicans ultimately adopted a separate budget resolution to provide funding for immigration enforcement through their own process.
