By David Catron, The American Spectator, January 4, 2026
WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE >>>>>>>>>>
The 1973 War Powers Resolution allows him to deploy military forces without prior approval of Congress.
It was hardly necessary to consult the Delphic Oracle to know that every Democrat within reach of a microphone would denounce President Trump’s military action against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. It was, however, surprising to discover how ignorant the Democrats are about the President’s authority to deploy military forces. Saturday morning, for example, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) brayed, “The Trump administration has not sought congressional authorization for the use of military force and has failed to properly notify Congress in advance of the operation in Venezuela.”
Jeffries is evidently unaware of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 (WPR). Someone on his staff should have informed him that the WPR permits the Commander-in-Chief to launch military operations without first notifying Congress and that several Democratic Presidents — including Clinton, Obama and Biden — have used the WPR to justify launching similar attacks without prior notification of Congress. The resolution does require the President to notify the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate within 48 hours of initiating military operations and limits deployments to no more than 60 days without congressional authorization. The New York Times reports that House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to schedule briefings for members as Congress returns to Washington. …
