Presidential War Powers in Action: Why Congress Is Often Bypassed

The article uses Trump’s Iran strikes to illustrate how presidents justify military action without new congressional authorizations, relying on broad commander-in-chief powers and existing authorizations (notably the 2001 AUMF) for time-sensitive operations. It traces historical precedents (Korea, Bay of Pigs, Cambodia, Panama, Libya) and notes that no new AUMF has been passed since 2002, while Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden have conducted actions in multiple countries. The piece also discusses the tension between swift executive action and Congress’s slower, deliberative role, highlighting ongoing debate over presidential overreach versus necessary agility in national security.