Stargate was announced at the White House in January 2025 with President Trump, alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, and Oracle's Larry Ellison. The $500 billion commitment was described as the largest private AI infrastructure investment in history.Source: Lowdown

Has Congress authorised the Iran war?

No. The White House launched strikes without Congressional authorisation and has submitted no supplemental spending bill. Zero Iran executive instruments were signed in the first 55+ days of conflict. The War Powers Resolution clock expired around 1 May 2026.Source: Lowdown

What is the White House doing about AI regulation?

The Trump White House launched the Stargate programme and appointed AI-friendly officials, but has issued no federal data centre regulatory framework. The absence of federal action has pushed regulation to states, where 12 legislatures have active moratorium bills and Maine passed a ban on 22 April 2026.Source: Lowdown

Background

The White House is the executive office of the US President, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.c. Under Donald Trump's second administration (from January 2025), it has simultaneously prosecuted a war against Iran without congressional authorisation, reshaped global trade through tariffs, cut federal Science budgets, and launched the Stargate AI infrastructure programme. The Stargate joint venture (the $500 billion OpenAI/SoftBank/Oracle partnership) was announced at the White House in January 2025. On space, the administration proposed cutting NASA's science budget by 47 per cent.

On Iran, the White House signed zero executive instruments across more than 120 days of conflict: no AUMF, no executive order, no supplemental spending request despite a Pentagon ask of $200 billion. Defence Secretary Hegseth testified on 12 May 2026 that Article 2 of the Constitution, not an AUMF, covers the campaign. At a Cabinet meeting on 27 May, Trump rejected both Russia and China as custodians for Iran's 440.9 kg of 60%-enriched uranium, eliminating the only third-country storage bridge. On 29 June, Washington and Tehran verbally agreed to halt offensive operations; the desk remained empty. The Cuba file is the rare signed exception: Executive Order 14404 (1 May 2026) authorises personal SDN designations against Cuban officials, highlighting the Iran zero-instrument record as doctrine, not oversight.

The White House's posture makes it the single most consequential variable across every Lowdown topic in 2026: war without a mandate, diplomacy without terms, AI investment without regulatory framework, and budget cuts without alternatives. On Ukraine, German Chancellor Merz visited Washington pressing for European involvement in settlement talks. On domestic elections, the DOJ suits, court injunctions, and Senate SAVE Act standoff all flow from the same executive posture of acting without waiting for legislative anchor.

More questions

Has Trump signed any executive orders on the Iran war?

No. As of 13 May 2026, Trump had signed zero executive instruments related to Iran across more than 75 days of conflict. The only signed de-escalation paper was a Lebanon Ceasefire extension on 23 April.Source: Presidential actions index / Senate testimony

Why hasn't the White House submitted a war funding bill to Congress?

The Trump administration has not submitted a supplemental funding request despite the Pentagon asking for $200 billion. This leaves the Iran campaign running on existing appropriations at a burn rate of approximately $900 million per day, with no congressional approval.Source: Lowdown

What is the War Powers Resolution deadline for the Iran war?

The 60-day War Powers Resolution Deadline fell on 1 May 2026. The Senate rejected five War Powers resolutions before the Deadline. Murkowski was targeting 28 April to formally introduce an AUMF bill.Source: event

Why is Trump going to Beijing during the Iran war?

Trump departed for Beijing on 13 May for a summit with Xi Jinping scheduled 14-15 May. China is Iran's largest oil customer and a key variable in Hormuz transit; the White House has used the summit as leverage to press Beijing on the blockade.Source: White House travel schedule

What is the legal basis for the Iran war?

Defence Secretary Hegseth testified on 12 May 2026 that Article 2 of the Constitution covers the campaign. No AUMF has been submitted to Congress, and the War Powers Resolution 60-day Deadline passed on 1 May without compliance.Source: US Senate Appropriations Committee testimony

Is Pakistan negotiating between the US and Iran?

Yes. Pakistan is the sole diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran after the White House rejected Iran's 10-point reply publicly on 12 May. Islamabad gained leverage from Washington's refusal to engage Tehran directly.Source: Reuters / Bloomberg

What is the White House and how is it different from the US President?

The White House is both the executive residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the institutional shorthand for the entire Executive Office of the President, which includes the NSC, Office of Management and Budget, and White House staff. The President is the person; the White House is the institution.

Who runs the White House staff and NSC under Trump?

The Chief of Staff manages day-to-day White House operations. The National Security Council, chaired by the President, coordinates national security policy. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is the public face of White House communications.

How does the White House formally issue policy — what is an executive order?

The White House issues policy through executive orders, presidential memoranda, and proclamations published on presidential-actions.whitehouse.gov. In the Iran war, zero such instruments were signed across 76 days; policy was communicated via Truth Social posts and press briefings instead.Source: White House presidential-actions.whitehouse.gov

Why has the White House not signed any Iran war authorisation?

Defence Secretary Hegseth testified on 12 May 2026 that Article 2 of the Constitution gives the President all necessary authority, making an AUMF unnecessary in the administration's view. The White House has not submitted a supplemental spending bill either, despite $29 billion in war costs.Source: Senate Appropriations Committee testimony

What does it mean that Trump used Truth Social instead of executive orders for Iran?

Presidential executive orders and memoranda are legally binding instruments that appear on the presidential-actions register and can be challenged in court. Truth Social posts and verbal remarks carry no formal legal weight, create no enforceable policy record, and cannot be amended by Congress — giving the administration maximum flexibility with minimum accountability.

Why has the US not passed a war declaration for the Iran conflict?

The Trump White House argues Article 2 of the Constitution gives the president authority to Conduct the campaign without Congressional approval. Defence Secretary Hegseth testified on 12 May 2026 that no AUMF is required, removing the War Powers Resolution as a binding constraint.Source: Lowdown Iran Conflict 2026

How much has the Iran war cost the United States so far?

The White House has spent approximately $29 billion at roughly $900 million per day without submitting a supplemental spending bill. The Pentagon requested $200 billion; Congress has not voted on any appropriation.Source: Lowdown Iran Conflict 2026

Why did Trump reject the Iran uranium deal in May 2026?

At a 27 May 2026 Cabinet meeting, Trump rejected both Russia and China as custodians for Iran's 440.9 kg stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium and told negotiators not to rush into a deal, eliminating the only third-country storage arrangement that could bridge Phase 1 and Phase 2 of negotiations.Source: Lowdown Iran Conflict 2026

Is the White House actually negotiating with Iran?

Negotiations are ongoing through Doha, with Pakistan as the primary channel between Washington and Tehran. However, Trump has publicly contradicted his own negotiators: on 27 May he vetoed the uranium storage arrangement, and Iran's state broadcaster aired draft MOU terms the White House called 'a complete fabrication'.Source: Lowdown Iran Conflict 2026

What did the White House announce about AI at the start of 2025?

In January 2025, the White House hosted the announcement of Stargate, a $500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to build AI infrastructure in the United States, the largest private AI infrastructure commitment in history.Source: Lowdown Data Centres

Source Material

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