On Trump's Abuse of Presidential Power in Iran

Congress cannot let this slide.

Dear DemCast Community:

The founders granted Congress - not the president - the power to authorize war. They did that for a reason. Granting a president - who serves as Commander in Chief of the armed forces - unabated power to wage war on other nations, would give him the power of a king. Giving Congress a role in war authorization would provide a check on a president who was corrupt, prone to irrational behavior and/or unduly influenced by foreign governments or agents.

For decades, presidents have been pushing the boundaries of their power to use military force against foreign nations without a Congressional war declaration or authorization for use of military force (AUMF). Not just Trump. And not just Republicans.

But Trump’s bombing of Iran tonight, with no or very limited (partisan) Congressional consultation, is an egregious overstepping of presidential power, and an impeachable offense.

Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States. Trump' s own intelligence apparatus had determined that Iran was not close to being able to deliver a nuclear strike on anybody, much less the US. We were not attacked. There was no existing treaty that Iran was in violation of, because Trump himself abandoned and withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal that the Obama Administration negotiated, which would have given more firm legal justification for use of military force if Iran had violated the terms.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 sought to limit the president’s ability to deploy the military to three types of situations:

1. a declaration of war,

2. specific statutory authorization, or

3. a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.

The situation with Iran meets none of these criteria.

Trump’s actions today were reckless and illegal, circumventing plausible diplomatic solutions and opting for overt and unauthorized military action that could imperil American soldiers and citizens in the coming days, months and years.

The fact that Trump will likely face no consequences for his abuse of power does not make it right. Congress must stand up and stand firm, demanding accountability from the president. He has once again taken and used power that he has not been constitutionally afforded.

One week ago today, millions of Americans poured into the streets to declare that there are “No Kings” in America. Clearly the president didn’t get the message. The question is whether Congress will step up as a separate-but-equal branch of government and hold him accountable.

They certainly should.

We will provide more guidance about the most strategic way to talk about Trump’s actions in the coming days, but I wanted to provide an immediate reaction as the leader of DemCast that indicates the type of stance we’re likely to take as things unfold, assuming no additional information comes to light that Trump did in fact engage Congress more substantively prior to the strike on Iran.

Love y’all.

- Nick

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