Trump Claims Naval Dominance Over Iran as Congress Moves to Limit War Powers

President Donald Trump signaled a position of absolute military dominance in the Persian Gulf during an Oval Office appearance on May 21, asserting that U.S. forces have effectively neutralized the Iranian navy and secured '100% control' of the Strait of Hormuz. The President stated that Iran’s missile capacity has been reduced by approximately 15% and emphasized that no shipping would transit the region without U.S. approval. However, these claims of success coincide with reports that the U.S. is closely monitoring potential Iranian efforts to establish a toll system in the Strait through negotiations with Oman. Simultaneously, the administration is facing a significant domestic challenge as members of Congress move to curb executive war-making authority. House Republican leadership was forced to pull a vote intended to block a War Powers Act resolution after failing to secure enough party support to defeat it. In the Senate, four Republicans have joined Democrats to advance a similar resolution. This internal political fracture highlights growing concerns in Washington over the legality and duration of the ongoing military campaign without explicit congressional authorization. On the ground, the stability of the current six-week ceasefire remains in question. Recent intelligence assessments indicate that Iran has utilized the pause in hostilities to reconstitute its military assets more rapidly than Western analysts had initially projected. While back-channel diplomatic communications remain active and have reportedly narrowed some differences, Iranian officials continue to maintain that de-escalation is impossible as long as the U.S. continues to issue military threats.