Trump’s Power to Strike Iran Without Congress: Expert Backs Presidential Authority

President Donald Trump stands at the center of a heated debate over his authority to launch a military strike on Iran without Congress’s approval, as tensions simmer in the Middle East. Legal expert John Yoo, a key figure in drafting the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, argues that the Constitution grants Trump the power to act unilaterally as commander-in-chief, though seeking Congress’s support would strengthen his political position.

Lawmakers are split. Some, like Sen. Tim Kaine and Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, push resolutions demanding a congressional vote before any action against Iran, emphasizing Congress’s sole power to declare war. Others see Trump’s potential alignment with Israel’s campaign against Iran’s nuclear ambitions as within his executive purview.

Yoo clarifies that while Congress holds the purse strings—evident in the $150 billion Pentagon funding tucked into Trump’s massive spending bill—it’s the president who can act swiftly to defend national interests. He dismisses the resolutions as political posturing, noting their absence during past presidents’ military actions, like Trump’s 2020 strike on Qasem Soleimani.

The debate underscores a deeper truth: Congress funds the military machine but balks when the president considers using it. As Yoo quips, lawmakers are like drivers complaining about traffic while pressing the gas.