Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) sharply accused Acting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday of 'breaking the law,' saying the Trump administration no longer has congressional authorization to continue U.S. military operations in Iran.
Massie's statement came on X after he reacted to a New York Times report — citing three military officials — that four U.S. service members killed this past weekend were removed from the Pentagon's public casualty count for the Iran conflict because their deaths occurred after a tentative ceasefire declared in April.
Pentagon acting press secretary Joel Valdez told The New York Times the change resulted from 'temporary data disruptions' and other website 'anomalies' that officials expected to correct. The conflicting accounts have added to tensions over the legal basis and public accounting of U.S. operations in the region.
'Let me explain this absurd ruse,' Massie wrote. 'The Pentagon is pretending there have been two Iran wars separated by a brief cease-fire.' He added that by allowing more than 90 days to pass without congressional authorization, Hegseth 'IS BREAKING THE LAW and must be held accountable.'
Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president must end unauthorized U.S. military involvement within 60 days, with an additional 30 days allowed to withdraw forces safely, unless Congress declares war or otherwise authorizes continued operations. Massie and other critics argue that continuing strikes after that timeframe without congressional approval violates that statute.
The U.S.-Iran confrontation began on Feb. 28; a tentative ceasefire was reached in April and then collapsed in June, after which both sides resumed deadly strikes. The Pentagon's casualty-count discrepancy and the timeline have sharpened congressional scrutiny.
On the same day, Massie joined three other Republicans — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) — in supporting a House resolution to restrict the president's war powers. The nonbinding measure passed the House for the second time by a 214-208 vote. A separate Senate joint resolution that would have required an end to U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict was defeated 47-49 and would have faced a likely presidential veto had it passed.
Observers say the episode highlights an ongoing clash between Congress and the executive branch over the scope and legal authority for U.S. military action abroad, and it raises questions about how casualty reporting and public data are maintained during active operations.
