[John Leland 1789]

The president cannot declare war. Congress must declare war.

[vanilla swirl]

” The president cannot declare war. Congress must declare war.”

Why should the President even bother?

[arthurus]

Correct. The president cannot Declare War. He can, however, make war. It might seem to be a distinction without a difference but there is a major difference. A Declaration of War by Congress is, in essence, a suspension of the Constitution for the duration of the war. It entails the government takeover of the economy and the reordering of everything in the economy toward prosecution of the war. It is only appropriate in the face of a near term serious existential threat to the nation.

That is why I have always opposed the calls for Congress to declare war for Vietnam and for all the actions since. Congress can control the president's warmaking powers by cutting off his warmaking money as Congress did in 1975 when it also cut off his ability to continue to supply the RVN.