WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will avoid calling U.S. military action against Iran a "war," instead describing it as a "military operation" because Congress has not authorized the use of force. "They don't like the word 'war,' because you're supposed to get approval, so I'll use the word 'military operation,' which is really what it is," he said.

He suggested the terminology choice relates to constitutional requirements for congressional approval. "I won't use the word 'war' because they say, if you use the word war, that's maybe not a good thing to do," he said.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and makes the president the commander in chief of the armed forces. The 1973 War Powers Act generally restricts military hostilities to 60 days unless Congress authorizes the use of military force.

Since the conflict with Iran started, Senate Democrats have held three votes seeking to end U.S. offensives in Iran unless Congress gives permission for them to continue. In the most recent Senate vote, every Democrat except Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted in favor of reining in Trump's war powers, and every Republican except Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against it. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who sponsored the war powers resolution, said, "I don't think we have had a moment like this, where the United States has been unquestionably at war with a foreign power, where American soldiers are dying as we speak, and it is being hidden actively from the public by the Congress."

In a notice to Congress, Trump said he "acted pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive to conduct United States foreign relations." In that notice, he wrote, "Despite my Administration's repeated efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran's malign behavior, the threat to the United States and its allies and partners became untenable."

House Speaker Mike Johnson said, "We're not at war right now. We're four days into a very specific, clear mission." The Trump administration and most Republicans argue the conflict is legally and constitutionally justified due to a threat posed by Iranian missiles.

Democratic lawmakers have argued Trump acted without legal authority by launching strikes against Iran without seeking congressional authorization, and have questioned whether Iran posed an "imminent" threat to the United States. Those Senate votes have fallen short mainly due to Republican opposition.