WASHINGTON — In late September, President Trump stated, “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. We’re gonna win that war very soon.” This was not the first instance he referred to the hostilities as “war.” On February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces began bombarding Iran, he warned that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.”
However, over the course of seven months of conflict with Iran, Trump administration officials, including Trump, have avoided consistently using the term “war.” Initially, senior officials used the term loosely, but as polls indicated declining public support for the conflict, the terminology shifted. Terms like “military operation,” “military decimation,” “excursion,” and “skirmish” have been used instead.
At a White House press briefing last month, Vice President JD Vance addressed a reporter's inquiry about the situation in Iran, stating, “I wouldn’t call it a war right now. Major combat operations lasted for about six weeks.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also referred to the situation as a “conflict” during a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting in July, seeking additional funding.
On May 5, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of the objectives outlined in Operation Epic Fury, which had been initiated on February 28, and the beginning of “Project Freedom,” aimed at escorting merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. In April, Trump announced a blockade of Iranian ports, and when asked if this constituted an act of war, Rubio stated, “That’s not an act of war, that’s a defensive measure. It’s a counter to what they have decided to do.”
Administration officials have argued that the conflict should not be classified as war due to a reduction in the intensity of strikes between the two nations. The end of Operation Epic Fury was declared 60 days after hostilities began, coinciding with the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires a president to cease hostilities after 60 days without congressional approval.
While Congress has not officially declared war since World War II, it has approved military actions under the Authorization for the Use of Military Force. This year, Congress has not approved such authorization for actions against Iran, and attempts to pass a War Powers Resolution to limit Trump’s military actions have failed.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former constitutional law professor, noted that presidents from both parties have avoided the term “war” to bypass congressional approval for military actions. He stated, “Trump has followed some of his predecessors in playing word games with the war power,” adding that the shift in terminology reflects public sentiment.
Trump has used the term “war” on social media and in interviews but later aligned with Vance's comments, stating, “I call it a military conflict, because it’s small potatoes for us.”
The administration's declaration of the end of Operation Epic Fury has drawn parallels to former President George W. Bush's “Mission Accomplished” speech in 2003, which was followed by prolonged military operations in Iraq.
Historically, many presidents, including Obama, have conducted military actions without renewed congressional approval, relying on previous authorizations. The situation with Iran continues to evolve as the administration navigates public opinion and congressional dynamics.