Trump has launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran and openly called for regime change. These are acts of war taken without Congress’s authorization.  

By acting alone, he has violated the Constitution’s assignment of war powers to Congress, seized authority that does not belong to him, and put American lives, rights, and resources at risk without any vote by our elected representatives. Congress must act immediately to halt this illegal war and reassert its constitutional role. 

A War of Choice 

Trump knew that diplomatic negotiations with Iran were ongoing. He knew that there was no urgent threat to the United States. He knew the strikes could drag the country into a costly and deadly conflict. He knew his own advisors had raised serious concerns. He knew the operation would destabilize an already fragile region and place civilians and American service members in harm’s way. 

He knew all of this and still chose to conduct large-scale strikes.  

By all public accounts, Iran posed no imminent threat. This is an unprovoked war to attempt to eliminate a perceived future risk. That decision of whether to send Americans into major combat operations against another country belongs to Congress alone. 

Why This War with Iran is Illegal 

The Constitution gives Quốc hội, not the President, the authority to declare war. Major combat operations against another country fall squarely within Congress’s war powers, as does capturing or killing foreign heads of state, as we have done – first in Venezuela and now in Iran.  

Now, we’re facing the exact scenario our constitutional separation of powers is meant to prevent: a single individual committing the country to conflict without public debate. That authority cannot be sidestepped simply because a president has domestic political challenges he thinks he can solve with a headline-grabbing act of war. 

This latest action follows a broader pattern by Trump of unauthorized and illegal uses of force abroad, which includes military operations in Venezuela Và the Caribbean. If left unchecked by Congress, he could drag the country into a war with an astronomical price tag and no clear end.  

The Human and Economic Toll 

American servicemembers and Iranian civilians have already been killed by Trump’s strikes and Iran’s response. If this operation is allowed to continue unchecked, many more American servicemembers could be placed in harm’s way, and Iranian civilians could face devastating destruction. 

Taxpayers will also shoulder significant financial burdens for an open-ended conflict. Time and again, we are told that there is funding available for military escalation, but not for healthcare access, public schools, or infrastructure at home. Decisions about war shape national priorities for years to come. They also household budgets – this conflict could send energy prices soaring. Those choices demand sự minh bạch Và debate. 

The American people should never be drawn into a dangerous and expensive war without their elected representatives taking a recorded vote. 

Consequences At Home 

Abuses of war powers abroad can have dangerous consequences at home. 

Creating an international crisis could open the door to expanded executive authority, emergency declarations, and restrictions that affect Americans’ rights, including the right to vote. It can also foster division, fuel discrimination, and marginalize communities. 

America can’t afford to repeat the fear, chaos, and national humiliation of the Iraq War, during which leaders trampled the rule of law, dehumanized and pointed fingers at people who are different and claimed extraordinary executive powers that were never ceded once the crisis passed. 

Trump’s eagerness to bypass Congress in matters of war aligns with his broader willingness to stretch executive power in other areas. This is particularly dangerous in the lead-up to a national election. We must not allow any administration to use conflict as a pathway to consolidate domestic political power. The separation of powers exists precisely to prevent that outcome. 

Congress Has the Power – and the Duty – to Act 

Congress cannot stand aside at this moment. 

Our elected officials may debate the broader policy questions surrounding military engagement with Iran in the weeks ahead. But first, it is crucial that Congress reasserts its constitutional authority by passing a War Powers Resolution to end this unauthorized war. 

Members of Congress owe their constituents clarity. Voters deserve to know their representative’s stance on military action in Iran. This moment tests whether our representatives will defend the Constitution or hide behind illegal executive action. Our system of government depends on accountability.  

When the Chủ tịch bypasses Congress on his march to war, he’s bypassđang người dân. 

How You Can Take Action 

Congress has a responsibility to step in. Now is the moment to demand that our elected officials defend the Constitution and be a voice for the people they represent. 

Tell your senators and representatives: 

• Support and pass a War Powers Resolution. 

• Reclaim Congress’s constitutional authority over war. 

• Refuse to let this unauthorized conflict continue without a vote. 

No president should be able to sideline Congress, silence the public, and expand executive power unchecked. That’s why Common Cause will be joining peaceful protests on Saturday, March 28th với No Kings, standing together to demand accountability for Trump’s authoritarian overreach and respect for the constitutional rights that protect us all. Our democracy depends on it.