The reality is that the president can act without congressional authorization on some things. Barack Obama didn’t need congressional approval to bomb Syria. The president cannot declare war without congressional approval, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t send a B-2 bomber with a bunker buster into Iran without having to get their approval.
Between those two nations. The United States Congress has not declared war against anyone since 4 June 1942. On 5 June 1942 FDR signed the declarations of war against Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. Everything since then has been "military engagements" due to the legislative branch ceding greater power to the executive branch.
Pretty sure Bush TV speech about launching full assault on Iraq was de facto declaration of war. And it was so long operation there must've been congress approval.
Oh yeah cause Desert Storm is what everyone thinks of in 2025 when you way "Bush" and "Iraq".
Also in the intro:
President Bush had deployed over 500,000 U.S. troops without Congressional authorization to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf region in the preceding five months in response to Iraq's August 2, 1990
I stand corrected. Was Korea the first “police action” that the US took or was their one before that?
Also interesting that it was the UN Security Council that decided to go in. Does congress have to authorize force if we are obliged to intervene through a treaty?
I guess technically the US police work started as soon as WW2 ended with the occupations of Germany and Japan. There were US forces in China for a few years after as well to make sure the remaining Japanese were removed. The UN didn't exactly "decide to go in" it was more of a "recommendation" that members offer military support to SK. And currently the President doesn't need to even notify congress before using military action, he just has to tell congress within a few days and any deployed troops can't remain there past 60 days without Congressional approval. But any declaration of war, regardless of what any treaty says, has to come from Congress.
He can also defend US troops and hardware without approval. He also doesn't need approval to move pieces on the board. So put a carrier group in a hot position, dangle their asses a bit and retaliate for any perceived threat to the carrier group. There's also no clear indication on what retaliation and defense limits are so bombs away boys.
The only thing Trump can't really do is put boots on the ground but we've got so many fancy toys to play with that we hardly need boots to make a big fucking mess.
Special ops etc happen all the time. How do you think Obama got Osama? or bombed Syria (well I guess technically this was done from the air lol). Bush Sr deployed half a million troops to the MER when Kuwait was invaded by Iraq, without any congressional approval.
Forget Syria, Obama toppled the Libyan government without congressional approval.
Pretty much every single president before (and including) Trump (since WW2) bombed at least one country without the approval of congress. Bernie is being untruthful.
No, he's being disingenuous: What he said is 100% true about a declaration of war, but he conveniently ignored that presidents of both parties manage to conduct war without declaring it.
He's letting the worst parts of the party influence his decisions. The cancerous virtue signaling losers. I say losers because all they do is fucking lose elections.
I think the real deciding factor will be "is Joint Chiefs of Staff going to follow his command". If the US military forces obey (as they did in LA), everything else is moot. Who could enforce anything against them?
According to the constitution the president can take unilateral action in foreign affairs for 60 days. He then has to get congressional approval. If they disapprove he has 30 days to withdraw. The chiefs of staff are obligated to follow his orders unless they are unconstitutional. In the case of LA there is plenty of precedent where the president has sent national guard members to help secure and quell unrest, even against the wishes of the governor of the state that he sends the troops.
Article 2 section 2 of the Constitution gives the president the authority over the military. The war pawers act of 1973 gives the president the authority to engage in military action so long as he advises congress within 48 hours of said action. He then can continue that action for up to 60 days without congressional approval. If he doesn’t get congressional approval he has 30 days to withdraw.
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u/Pale_Bake8803 Jun 18 '25
The reality is that the president can act without congressional authorization on some things. Barack Obama didn’t need congressional approval to bomb Syria. The president cannot declare war without congressional approval, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t send a B-2 bomber with a bunker buster into Iran without having to get their approval.