Trump: I won’t use the word war because they say if you use the word war, that’s maybe not a good thing to do. They don’t like the word war because you are supposed to get approval. So I will use the word military operation. pic.twitter.com/VYIagbhWPg
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 26, 2026
Article 1 of the Constitution, which created Congress in the first place, gives the legislative branch the sole power to declare war. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 further clarifies this, requiring the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing American forces into a conflict.
But there’s an easy loophole here, first exploited by Harry Truman in 1950 to send U.S. troops to Korea—just call your plan a “police action,” or a “military operation.” Whatever the hell you want, really, except an act of war. Then you don’t need those sniveling nerds to approve anything!
The War Powers Resolution failed to fix this loophole, and Congress still hasn’t officially declared war since World War II. Our country has sent hundreds of thousands of troops to kill and maim in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran. But for all the death, memorials, and flag-waving, none of those wars technically took place.
