Does Trump need approval from Congress to send the US to war?

 Does Trump need approval from Congress to send the US to war?

It is unclear so far what role the US will play in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. But how much power does President Donald Trump have in choosing whether the US will join the fighting?

Under US law, the president does not have the sole power to formally declare war on another country. Only Congress - lawmakers elected in the House of Representatives and the Senate - can.

But the law also states that the president is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. That means he can deploy US troops and conduct military operations without a formal declaration of war.

For example, Trump's decision to conduct airstrikes in Syria in 2017, external against the Bashar Assad regime did not require approval from Congress. Instead, Trump acted unilaterally, citing national security and humanitarian reasons.

Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are now trying to limit Trump's ability to order US strikes on Iran.

Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a Republican, introduced a measure on Tuesday to attempt to block such a move without approval. "This is not our war," he wrote on X. "Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our constitution."