In my March 5 Dispatch article on the Iran War and the Constitution, I explained why Donald Trump's initiation of the war without congressional authorization is unconstitutional. As of today, it is also in violation of the War Powers Act of 1973. Enacted in the wake of the Vietnam War, the WPA requires the president to secure congressional approval within 60 days of entering U.S. troops into "hostilities" or situations "where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances." The president can seek a 30 day extension without additional congressional authorization, but Trump has not done so in this case.
