President Donald Trump’s announcement Saturday that US forces carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — has sparked debate over the scope of presidential war powers and the legal frameworks, both domestic and international, that govern the use of force.
Trump has defended the attacks as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Some in Congress, such as Rep.Thomas Massie, have called it unconstitutional, while Alaska’s entire congressional delegation — including Trump foe Sen. Lisa Murkowski — called the action appropriate to the danger Iran poses to the world.
Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the president, as Commander-in-Chief, has broad powers to use military force to defend the country and advance significant national interests. As John B. Bellinger III, a former National Security Council legal adviser and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2017 that these powers include initiating force to protect the United States and its citizens from actual or anticipated attacks.
This long-held interpretation has allowed presidents from both parties to undertake military action in numerous circumstances without seeking formal declarations of war from Congress. For instance, President Barack Obama authorized over 26,000 airstrikes during his tenure, particularly in Iraq and Syria, without new congressional authorizations, relying on existing legal frameworks and his Article II powers.
These powers are not limitless. Article I of the Constitution reserves to Congress the authority to “declare War.”
While this has never been interpreted to mean that Congress must authorize every military action, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel has said that this authority places limits on the president’s power to commit forces to situations that rise to the level of war. Whether a particular military operation meets that threshold depends on a “fact-specific assessment” of the scope, nature, and duration of the action. If a strike is likely to provoke a sustained military conflict or exposes US personnel to serious risk, then congressional authorization is typically required as a matter of constitutional practice. Even Sen. Murkowski did not make that argument.
On the international legal side, it’s complicated. Under the United Nations Charter and customary international law, the use of force against another state is prohibited except in cases of self-defense, collective self-defense, or when authorized by the UN Security Council. While the US has historically interpreted the right to self-defense broadly, especially in counterterrorism contexts, Bellinger and others have noted that bombing Iran’s nuclear sites may not qualify as self-defense against an imminent armed attack, in the UN’s view. The Trump administration might claim the strikes were an act of collective self-defense on behalf of Israel and the rest of the non-terrorist world.
Your thoughts? Add them to the comment section below.
No
Absolutely not!
Boyd, can you please articulate why you are so adamantly against this airstrike?
It should be pointed out that during previous administrations, all have routinely executed airstrikes numbering in the thousands. The targets ranged from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq to Yemen and others. Iran has had an aggressive stands against its neighbors and uses proxy groups (Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah) to harass and damage perceived enemies. Their nuclear arsenal in the hands of religious zealots and their veiled threat of use, is also a worrying issue not to be taken lightly.
Oh and I forgot to mention, did you know that Iran is helping Russia build drones to use against Ukraine.
To the emotional folks in the room, the war powers act gives POTUS the authority to do exactly what he did and not to mention he called them to let them know, he gave them many opportunities to come to the table, they refused. There was no life lost on either side, the great people of Iran are safe but the rulers who wish to do mankind harm will think twice!
Boyd, did I completely misunderstand your decisive “NO” ?
Did you mean you did not like President Trump taking action, or if he needed congressional approval?
No he did not need congressional approval. I emphatically AGREE with that assessment. . Please accept my apologies if I erroneously interpreted your comments.
I’m uncomfortable with the POTUS bombing a foreign nation unilaterally, but working through the long, painful, arduous process of getting an authorization for military action didn’t seem to solve any problems in 1990 or 2003. “I voted for it after I voted against it.”
CRY MUCH?
No, but I might if the nukes start flying.
Huh? Be kind of late then, right?
It would be if I lived on the JBER runway (Ground Zero Alaska).
But I don’t.
I’ll have plenty of time to cry.
Actually, I think that the ABM site on Fort Greeley would likely be the primary target in Alaska in any potential nuclear conflict.
Maybe, but I don’t live there, either.
Congress is more concerned about their power and process. If we had to wait for them to act, Iran would have a huge nuclear weapons stock pile. Trump was right to act, Iran has been threatening us for decades.
Not just no. HE// NO.
Bill Clinton never sought congressional approval before he bombed the aspirin factor in Africa. Biden never got congressional approval for anything, because he didn’t know WTF was going on in the world, the US, or in the White House. Obama never got congressional approval when he had Osama bin Ladin assassinated.
The Democrats and major media will spin this because it’s Donald Trump doing the just and correct thing. I say this to Democrats and the major media:
FU.
100 % Rick. Right on. Unfortunately the media in our country is the enemy of the people. They are lying scumbags.
Yes!!!!
👍👍
Democrats and mainstream media are the enemy within
That pretty much sums it up for a lot of us. Thank you.
This is a well-written article; indeed balanced. In our current world, striking a literary balance is increasingly rare journalism. Indeed, the author poses valid points. Executive war powers are likely to be viewed as contextual. Certainly, uni-lateral executive actions as posed both by Obama & now Trump, both can sweep America into far greater conflicts. Exigent decisions in war cannot be effective when decided by ‘committee’ (congressional approval); however, a definitive “defence action” is either pro-active or reactive. Pro-active diplomacy or military actions often reduce catastrophic occurrences arising out of reactive management: WAR. Even now, will targeted salvos on key Iranian sites be a catalyst for expanded regional conflict? Without allies, will Iran’s response escalate regionally? Hence, the nebulous Executive War actions. Organisational Theory is clear that battlefield management cannot slow decisions-by-committee. Research & Development by a team of well-groomed participants, given time allowed, does engender well-conceived products, services & actions. Diplomacy works best when not done on an active battlefield.
The War Powers Act of 1973 allows the Commander in Chief to take military actions such as these and the Act of Congress sets about rules that the Presmust follow. President Trump is following this Act of Congress, in addition to the Article II backing of the US Constitution.
One way to know you are wrong on this issue is if you agree with organizations like the American Communist Party when they say things like “The American Communist Party stands with the revolutionary Iranian people against Zionist and imperialist aggression!” or if you agree with people like Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and Ilhan Omar…all known for their antisemitic views and agreeing with those who chant slogans like “Death to America”
Looking ahead, with numerous reports that North Korea is well-partnered in Russia’s UN-membership sovereignty violations, indeed contributing even further; the question herein is how should the UN, NATO & the US (the UN Security Council is an invalid body) respond? What strategic cards should they play, both covertly and reactively?
I’m not sure about this one–I’m thinking it will take a little time to see if it was wise or not. However, I’m vehemently against the United Nations. We need to get OUT of that “peace-keeping” organization. Yeah, right–they have been the biggest promoter of war and trouble for 75 years! The last I heard, we were supposed to be a sovereign nation and that’s not possible with that evil organization.
It was wrong for him to take us into war after promising he wouldn’t. I have no problem with Israel pro-actively defending themselves, but it did not require US involvement.
Which war is that?
You need to understand the “BIG” difference between ” an act of war” verses “military action”. When Pres Roosevelt declared war, he had to ASK for the Congress to “declare the war” when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He couldn’t do it by it by himself. The world was already at war in other places. There have been many “military actions” since (Viet Nam, Iraq and Iranain Afganistan and other skirmishes) where several countries were involved in military “Actions”.
I could care what the United Nations opines. Our Constitution is the guiding document and the naysayers, like Massie, are just wrong.
NOPE! Someone would have leaked it, Like the Squad
No.
.
“Trump administration briefed top Republicans before Iran strikes, but not Democrats.”
(‘https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/21/politics/republicans-democrats-iran-strikes-briefings)
.
So he talked to Congress, but not to certain members of Congress who are certain to leak classified information to Iranian regime sympathizers or to the regime itself.
.
Big distinction, no doubt we’ll come back to it: “Iranian regime” versus “Iranian people”.
.
President did not declare war on Iranian people.
.
President Trump fixed a 45-year problem by neutralizing their regime’s credible threat to start nuclear war.
Iran has been chanting “Death to America” for decades. This is self defense. Also, in our political environment Democrats cannot be trusted. They want total failure for Trump and wouldn’t blink an eye sacrificing the young members of our military to further their agenda.
No
You threaten to kill me for being an American. The threat assessment:
“I kick your butt now, why wait.”
Unfortunately, an a//-whuppin’ just feeds his hatred. It doesn’t solve the problem. You have to kill him, or put (and keep) him in prison. it has been clear for the past 20 years that the Mossad has had significant support within Iran. And, so far, this hasn’t resulted in any significant political revolt among the populace.
This action might have bought us time. I hope so. But it has also clearly bought us more hatred. And if the Iranians succeed in significant terror success within the U.S., this will be big trouble for the Trump Administration.
And all that doesn’t even consider the Chinese…………..
We, the majority of voters, put our safety in President Trump’s hands. He gathered information from his advisors, then acted on their advice.
The nay sayers, after the fact, can cry or laugh. It is done, we will live with it.
Yes, Congress gave this after 9/11 and the start of the War on Terror. Trump according to FOX told Majority Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson. Kept OPSEC tight since any socialist congresscritter would have leaked to the Communist News Network or MSDNC.
you can’t be opposed to this and for Obama’s decision to conduct a raid into Pakistan
If it was anyone except Iran I would have second thoughts. This was long over due. And greatly deserved. Death to the Mullas and their followers !
Been waiting for this since the Carter Administration.
Thank You President Trump.
& God Bless our troops.
“The president, as Commander-in-Chief, has broad powers to use military force to defend the country and advance significant national interests…” absolutely does not authorize Trump to use Israel as a proxy for launching an un provoked unilateral, Pearl Harbor style surprise attack by providing the weapon systems, missiles, munitions, ISR target identification and real time targeting data, in launching missiles into a sovereign country. Without first making a valid case and obtaining a Congressional declaration of war.
What is far worse for our long term national security is the pattern the Trump administration has developed of pretending to continue diplomatic negotiations with both the government of the Russian Federation and now the Islamic Republic of Iran, and then directing our militarized proxy vassal states of Ukraine and Israel to launch preemptive military strikes against these countries in the last few weeks.
In the case of Russia the target was their strategic bomber component of their national nuclear war deterrent triad, the aircraft parked vulnerably in the open to comply with the New Start Treaty. The none sense expressed by Trump that he was “unaware” of Operation Spiderweb, at least 18 months in the planning and execution of a terror operation using fanatical Ukrainian regime SBU thugs just makes things worse. It indicates Trump is absolutely untrustworthy to negotiate with for foreign leaders on major issues that are critical for our national security, or, his administration is so incompetent that they are not in control of the vast and complex network of CIA/MI6/Mossad/SBU subversive operations worldwide. This isn’t Grenada or Panama, this is a nation with the largest nuclear arsenal on earth, with whom we have provoked, launched (and are losing) a proxy war 11 years ago with the goal of regime change.
Iran is a signatory to the nuclear non proliferation treaty (NPT) within which they have every right to build civilian use nuclear energy and enrich uranium for stated purposes. There is no evidence provided by the IAEA or our own “intelligence” complex that Iran was “making” nuclear warheads. The unsubstantiated words of Netanyahu, who has been impotently claiming multiple times for 30 years that Iran is less than a year, or month away from building a nuclear weapon is pathetic. Netanyahu has failed to gain control of a few acres called Gaza in 2 years, is now going after a country of 92 million the size of western Europe. Who fought and won an 8 year war against our installed proxy thug Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Iron Dome is as effective as a sieve. Another Pentagon boondoggle costing us hundreds of billions.
The June 13th attack by Israel included stand off air launched missile strikes from Iraqi and Syrian airspace on apartment buildings and terrorist gunmen seeking to hunt down and murder Iranians. This was a regime change operation, absolutely illegal and immoral, and as it failed and now Israel is being destroyed, Trump steps in to directly use bunker busting bombs directly on 3 sites. Also pathetic, as the technical capacities of the bombs in our inventory are not capable of the depth and penetrating through the manner of construction of these hardened underground facilities. Concrete diamonds are built into the concrete framework specifically designed to deflect these bombs, and the depths are greater than 200′. This is whole operation is a charade.
The self proclaimed “master negotiator” has proven to be the master liar on the world stage and to us voters who supported him, continuing the failed Ukraine war and now starting the Iranian war, without Congress or a mandate from the voters who just put him into office specifically to end these wars. The letdown of what the Trump administration actually is vs. what was sold to us during the campaign is incredible. Biden was incoherent, Harris an animated train wreck, and Trump has no excuse. He deceived us as he openly deceives world leaders.
Different question.
President Trump has been very clear about this issue since he first ran for office. If you chose to wilfully disregard what he has said and done time and time again that’s wholly on you for believing the lies that the media has fed you and others while claiming he was a racist bigot who hated Jews, blacks, Mexicans, and everyone else in between.
Trump has never made a comment indicating he is a racist in his life.
The problem he has is Netanyahu controls more senators and reps in Congress than he does, as Congress is a one party apparatus effectively pretending that they are distinct parties talking garbage smack to their respective constituents of what they want to hear.
The reason Trump is in the Whitehouse is not because the powers that be care anything about common citizens, much less the “MAGA” constituency, but because he received hundreds of millions from globalist billionaires, including a huge Israeli lobby, and they tell him what to do.
Trump has been very clear on the international stage recently by openly lying to us, the public, Russia and now Iran, destroying any ability of good faith negotiations going forward. Our media constantly lies and creates fantastical narratives that the public buys into. Now we are continuing to spend hundreds of billions to complete the destruction of both Ukraine and now Israel, (we have caused the events to create more damage to Israel than any rabid, Jew hating mullah could ever have hoped for) while catastrophically compromising the national security of our country. Israel does possess nuclear weapons, and they are desperate, with people fleeing the country as it is systematically reduced to rubble. We have proven to Iran that they actually need nukes for preservation of their country.
If Iran wisely shows restraint and resists the temptation to strike our defenseless bases surrounding Iran, closing the Hormuz Strait or sinking any of our warships to deprive our incompetent military leadership of an excuse to strike again, they can continue to destroy Israel at a faster rate than Israel destroys them.
This could go nuclear by Israel and spiral out of control. Only a fraction of people here at home and western Europe who are so brainwashed and numbed to the violence we export globally are left to support this insanity. Israel has become, and we are well on the way, to becoming pariah states and we are driving countries to BRICS to disentangle themselves from our failed, we make the arbitrary “rules based” world order, which is disintegrating rapidly.
“……..he received hundreds of millions from globalist billionaires, including a huge Israeli lobby, and they tell him what to do……….”
Huh? Globalists paying Trump to end globalism with an American First ideology? This is the first time I’ve heard this one. Got any names for these “billionaires”?
Reggie,
As I’m sure you are aware there are quite a few antisemites in the world, to these people any group that also hates Jews is a friend to their ideology. It’s why you see white supremists like David Duke supporting hamas and the terrorism supported by islamic facists, and why they find themselves aligning with the likes of Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. One commenter here claimed that Israel and Jews control the US, shortly after having claimed that the US controls Israel…I’m still not sure how that works. These same people frame their argument that Jews aren’t Jews all while being too Jewish, in short their hatred guides them and they cannot support their beliefs with reason because they are first and foremost guided by hatred.
“……As I’m sure you are aware there are quite a few antisemites in the world……..”
Yup. Indeed, I still have a difficult time understanding folks at all. AFAIC, the entire world is completely insane. That particular claim by
Brian was a case in point. It simply doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. Heck, it has looked to me for decades that if you tell Trump what to do, he’ll do the exact opposite just so you know who’s boss.
Reggie, here you go, some of the administration billionaires ideologues who passionately advocate for America First:
Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary
Linda McMahon, Education Secretary
Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator
Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Mid East
Frank Bisiganano, Social Security Administration Commissioner
Vivek Ramaswamy, Department of Government (in)Efficiency
Kelly Loeffler, Small Business Administration (Only worth $800 million)
Doug Burgum, Interior Secretary ($100 million)
Mehmet Oz, Medicare and Medicaid Services
Also note the net worth in the hundreds of millions or billion+ category of Ambassador appointments to key globalist cabal nations.
Again
“……….he received hundreds of millions from globalist billionaires, including a huge Israeli lobby, and they tell him what to do”……..
So your list appears a bit shy of both globalists people who tell Trump what to do. What is your definition of “globalist”? And if these people are globalists, and they’re telling Trump what to do, why are all the other globalists decrying the end of globalism due to Trump?
Brian. You wrote, “Trump has never made a comment indicating he is a racist in his life.” Trump’s overt and obvious racism is manifest in his deeds AND words. Here’s some. Housing discrimination against African-American renters, birther conspiracy theory falsely claiming president Barack Obama was not born in the United States; ”very fine people, on both sides”, Muslim ban, Pardon of Joe Arpaio (a racist criminal) and Trump allowing South African whites to immigrant easily while arresting brown skinned people right now throughout our country.
Everybody wears a costume and recognizing that is the first step toward recognizing how and why evolution works as predictably. Have you considered how evolution works, Manny? Woke railing against facts have been proven to work uh, never.
“We have proven to Iran that they actually need nukes for preservation of their country.”
Yep, absolutely correct Brian.
Does Qatar/Bahrain/Kuwaite/Jordan/Saudi Arabia need nukes for the preservation of their countries? Are those nations repeatedly under attack by Iranian proxies (Hamas/Hezbollah/Houthi)? Maybe if Iran would just produce and sell its oil and leave Israel alone, they wouldn’t get their nuclear weapon production facilities attacked? And they’d be as prosperous as Qatar/Bahrain/Kuwaite/Jordan/Saudi Arabia?
I note that the Trump transformation is complete and the charade ended with the Prez himself calling for regime change. He now checks all the boxes and is a naked neo-con. The forever wars will continue. Tulsi will be gone by the end of July.
If you are in favor of the ‘Death to America’ mullahs remaining in control of tens of millions of enslaved powerless persian victims and the dehumanization of all women and infidels, please address your concerns to the Department of State. Surely they will take all of your well constructed advisements to heart.
You have a short memory. He did the same thing to ISIS in 2017. Only took a few weeks to obliterate them. No forever war. Much as you might hate it, Trump isn’t Bush 43, Vance isn’t Cheney, Rubio isn’t Powell and Hegseth isn’t Rumsfeld. Nice diatribe though, pointless but long. Cheers –
“……The forever wars will continue………”
I hope that sinks in completely for you. War is not a unilateral decision. Your enemy has at least a 50% vote on whether or not you’re at war. People have been at war since before we’ve been people. Chimps wage war with each other. Warfare is a fact of life, even between Heaven and Hell. Forever and Ever. Amen.
You posted no objections to when barry soetoro used drones to murder US citizens and backed the Muslim Brotherhood and all of the islamofascistic actions of the alohasnackbar regimes and tinpot satanic dictatorships
your ‘concerns’ now ring hollow
just blather from a run of the mill maoist
You chugged the kool aid deeply, didn’t you?
“…absolutely does not authorize Trump to use Israel as a proxy for launching an un provoked unilateral, Pearl Harbor style surprise attack”
Wow you really must have been asleep for the last 40 years.
Iran has been screaming “Death to America” since they took hostages during the Carter administration.
Their proxy agents (Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah) have agitated and terrorized for decades. Their stated purpose is to wipe Israel of the face of the earth.
They have attacked shipping, threatened the world with nukes…
…. and you think they are just nice fellows minding their own business?
Brian you are entitled to your opinion, such as it is.
No one read this screed.
It’s not 1973 anymore – shorten your diatribe up – if you can’t sum up your position in 3 to 5 sentences go read an encyclopedia.
Thx
The President can go over Congress’s head for this. Come to think of it, most things already go over Congress’s heads. Ha ha
WELL DONE MR. PRESIDENT, WELL DONE!
He// no. Congress is little more than an embarrassing amalgam of shame, blame and theater.
Think more deeply about this situation. We have been brainwashed, folks. Of course Trump has the authority. Of course, it’s justified. Just how many chants of ‘Death to America’ are required? The deeper issue is, we’ve been conditioned to not trust our own country’s leadership. If about half of our country hates the president, and the other half is not sure about him, our enemies’ propaganda has succeeded
No.. The Roosevelt Precedent ( operating as CinC!, covers it
wut?
Nope. Not even a little bit.
No President, not even Carter has acknowledged the validity of the War Powers Act.
Yes, President Carter should have done something similar 2 hours after they took over our embassy. The Islamists that torment Iran have been murderous since they stepped into Tehran.
Seems we had to wait for Jimmy Carter (& the Democratic party) to die before we could deal w/ the mullahs.
Bush Jr should have dealt w/ this, but instead he went after the wrong country.
God Bless America (& pass the ammunition)
Laughable. Can you just see Trump picking up the phone and asking Nancy Pelosi for permission to bomb Iran?
.
“Pretty please, Nancy. I’ll send you an unripped edition of my next State of the Union address, along with a brand new 12-pound hammer that you can give Paul for his birthday. And tell your nephew Gavin that he should use less hair grease and try for that sauve dry look, like me.”
About time this was done. Thank you Pres DJT!
Lisa agrees with this? She’s definitely running.
This comment section has taught me that the boomers will stand up and fight for one thing:
Their grandchildren getting put in harm’s way to defend israel no matter the circumstance.
Boomers finally killed Soviet/Sino communist ideology. With blood. More Boomers died in Vietnam than in all American wars or military actions of all kinds in the 50 years since. Combined. Exponentially. So, no, my only goal (as a Boomer) is not my three grandsons to go to the Middle East and fight a war. But I also don’t want terrorists over here killing my granddaughters, either. Or smuggling nukes in, although I bet just one nuked American city will change the world forever.
Like the old saying goes just one nuclear attack can screw up your whole day…………..
It should have also taught you that Americans do not support those who chant “Death to America, death to Israel” and try to develop nuclear weapons as a way to achieve their goals. Unfortunately you and a few other commentators here continue to defend the islamic facist death cult because of the hatred that has blinded you.
Where do you think the Jewish people should go, if not Jerusalem?
Mecca and Medina are the Muslim Holy places important to their prophet.
So let me get this straight you think that ONLY the Boomer generation wants to see their grandchildren stand up and defend our nation? Really?
Ironically it should be pointed out that Generation X and some early Millennials are also already old enough to have service-aged grandchildren, what about them?
What about all those parents/grandparents during WWI sending their sons and daughters (as telephone operators aka the “Hello Girls”, nurses etc) over to Europe or American service men and women ending the Holocaust in WWII, or fighting in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom or Afghanistan. Are they somehow different?
Defending the nation and in some cases our allies is a longstanding and necessary function of government.
I believe we can avoid a conflict with this show of strength, but I will support any of my grandchildren, if they choose to stand up to serve this nation.
Congratulations on your new forever war… Now it makes sense why Afghanistan was abruptly scuttled… Someone saw this coming… No worries… I’m sure everyone cheering this on is ready to jump on a C-17 to Dubai… WMD’s… Gotta go find those things… Somewheres… They gotta be around somewheres… Right ???
“…….They gotta be around somewheres… Right ???……..”
Dunno. I think that’s why Trump tried to bomb them before they were spirited away to a new hidden hole. I guess we’ll see…………..
You’re got a screw loose cybro.
Cybro has been paying attention. Trillions of dollars for 21st century foreign adventures and thousands of American lives lost for what? Meanwhile our country continues to fall apart: East Palistine Ohio, LA, Maui, North Carolina just to start.
“……. Trillions of dollars for 21st century foreign adventures and thousands of American lives lost for what?………”
The 21st Century began on January 1, 2000. Thirty months later, terrorists flew hijacked aircraft into the tallest buildings in the nation. 3,000 dead.
So I guess we were supposed to blow that off? No “adventure” needed? Just another day in Paradise?
Really?
The Forever War that lasted 48 hours.
Seriously, did you fall prey to the Covid propaganda and take the experimental gene therapy?
“……..did you fall prey to the Covid propaganda and take the experimental gene therapy……..”
I took the vaccine, and at least two boosters, but of course, I’ve been inoculated with everything under the sun for the past 70+ years, including the smallpox vaccine, and including whatever the Army shot into me for overseas Asian duty. And I feel fine! It has been 5 years now. Was I supposed to croak by now?
Maybe it’s your genes, and not the vaccine?
Strike was authorized by Congress 9/14/01 in SJR 23. This has not been repealed and used by every single president since to attack anyone dabbling in terrorism. Cheers –
Hey how come you know the truth????
Probably not, but if things go sideways it will be enough for Congress to impeach him again! For all practical purposes it appears the strikes didn’t accomplish much if one can believe the satellite images of the before and after nuclear sites. It is a moot question anyway as Russia, China, Pakistan and other nuclear powers have indicated they would provide nuclear warheads to Iran if the situation escalates. Ironically, that could lead to peace in the region as Israel already possesses nukes and if Iran had them it would be mutually assured destruction!
“……… It is a moot question anyway as Russia, China, Pakistan and other nuclear powers have indicated they would provide nuclear warheads to Iran if the situation escalates………..”
That works both ways. The Ukrainians and Taiwanese would likely love to have a few nukes. Medvedev has always had a big mouth and small brain.
Nothing wrong with Trump testing out the hardware. 7 B2 Spirit bombers. 14 big bunker busters. Ka-boom.
It works!
.
And if Putin wants to sell nuke- ready warheads to Iran, Trump can match it by giving Ukraine as many as they need. Have fun guys. Trump is absolutely running the show. All over the world.
Here’s a pretty strong clue about what the Iranian regime was doing with its nuke program:
.
“Russia’s former president said that multiple countries are poised to provide Iran with nuclear warheads after the U.S. launched strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.
.
‘The enrichment of nuclear material — and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue,’ Dmitry Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said in a Sunday X post.
.
‘A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,’ Medvedev said.”
(‘https://www.foxnews.com/politics/russian-leader-claims-multiple-countries-prepped-provide-iran-nuclear-weapons-following-us-strikes)
.
Is this not the Russians’ way of confirming, without actually saying so, that the Iranian regime was building atom bombs and President Trump wrecked what they were doing?
.
To President Trump, may we say, “Thank you, sir!”
The US has declared war 5 times since we became a country. The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and WW1 and WW2. There has been no formal declaration of war since 1942.
This includes the “conflicts” like Libya (Obama), Haiti and Liberia (Bush2), Bosnia (Clinton), Persian Gulf War (Bush1), Lebanon (Carter), and the Korean War (Truman).
Throw in a couple more where Congress, well after the fact, passed a Resolution supporting the incursion.
So congress really doesn’t do much with regard to declaring war, and not for a long time.
Additionally, the War Powers Resolution requires that for both the deployment of troops to conflict and the stationing of troops past 60 days would need prior congressional approval. Additionally, the president would need to routinely consult with Congress for the duration of the conflict.
So No, I don’t think Trump needed Congressional approval – yet. As a non-interventionist (small l) libertarian, Hopefully this won’t go beyond 60 days… or 6 days. I do think it needed to be done, unfortunatly.
“……..There has been no formal declaration of war since 1942………”
‘https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_2002
‘https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_1991
Forget “formal”. Congress is full of lawyers now.
Reggie –
The differences between the Authorizations for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (AUMF) and a Declaration of War are specific and real, including:
AUMF gives the President authorization to use force but does not create a state of war under the U.S. Constitution, whereas a declaration of war formally acknowledges that a war exists.
The AUMF of 2002 was specific to Iraq and allowed for military action, while a declaration of war would typically involve broader legal obligations and recognition of a wartime status.
In short, the AUMF is a more flexible and broad authorization for military action, whereas a declaration of war is a formal, specific acknowledgment of a state of war. Congress specifically avoids declaring war because, …. I’ll let you fill in your own blanks there, but IMO, they don’t want that sort of responsibility hung around their collective neck… Just my opinion tho.
Peace!
“…….. the AUMF is a more flexible and broad authorization for military action………”
Yup. And an overnight delivery of ordnance is even more flexible, and doesn’t even require an Authorization for the Use of Military Force.
Trump really seems like a guy who would try to sell us “Weapons of Mass destruction!!!!” for the third time around. Americans can’t all be THAT stupid.
When the president hands foreign policy over to Lindsay Graham the results couldn’t possibly go wrong?
Only the Democrats and their death wish. Such idiots abound here in our free country. I hope Trump gets Term Number 3.
Dating myself on this subject I guess, but I remember clearly the Islamic Revolution of 1979. I remember Americans being held for 444 days. I remember the Iranian Islamic Revolution declaring war and death to America. That talk has been going since then.
I don’t want war(s), I want and love peace. When someone sticks their chin out for 46 years, eventually someone is going to take a swing.
Good enough for Clinton and Obama, good enough for me.
Just because other presidents have abused the power doesn’t make it right now. The US has been sticking our nose into the middle east since 1953 starting with the overthrow of the elected Iranian leader and installing the Shaw largely for big oil interests. We have heard all the reasons before and every single conflict since WWll has been the result of false reasons. Israel got us into this one too. Nuclear Weapons immanent any moment for the last 30 years. Congress is a mess and has abdicated their powers but yes it needs to go through them. There are all kinds of problems with this latest action. Apparently now we know the bombing was not nearly as successful as advertised by the president. We never ask “what happens after that?” Who replaces the current leaders? Is a country that is bombed more or less likely to be friendly to the West? Are we creating many more enemies that before? Our interventions in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Beirut, Afghanistan, Somalia, on and on have not worked well for anyone except the military industrial complex and bankers. And yet many (as evidenced here) keep cheering for more war. Kind of sick really.
I put this transcript together from the raw auto-generated text under Judge Napolitano’s video. His answer is succinct and crystal clear!
(video) JUDGE NAPOLITANO: Trump Striking IRAN was Unconstitutional — a War Crime!
“What the president of the United States did was *profoundly unconstitutional, absolutely unlawful; was an impeachable offense, and was a war crime*. Under our Constitution, only the Congress can declare war, not the president. And Congress can only declare war on a country that poses an immediate and grave military threat to the United States of America. President Trump has started a war with Iran which poses no threat, let alone immediate or grave whatsoever to the national security of the United States of America.
Under an unconstitutional statute — but still the law, the War Powers Resolution — the president is required to give notice to Congress and give Congress an opportunity to respond before he attacks a foreign country. He can carry out the response, but he has to tell Congress and give Congress an opportunity to respond. He not only ignored the Constitution, he ignored that law — as unconstitutional as it is it hasn’t been tested by the courts — it is still the law. The president ignored it.
Killing people and destroying property in another country without a just cause is a war crime. It is the moral and legal equivalent of a high crime and misdemeanor. It is an impeachable offense, and it is time for the American public and the Congress to do something about it.”
‘http://tobefree.press/2025/06/23/judge-nap-trump-striking-iran-was-unconstitutional-a-war-crime/