[kawhill]

“The last time the United States formally declared war, using specific terminology, on any nation was on June 4, 1942, when war was declared against Axis-aligned Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, because President Franklin D. Roosevelt thought it was improper to engage in hostilities against a country without a formal declaration of war. Since then, every American president has used military force without a declaration of war.[3] However, Alexander Hamilton observed in Federalist No. 25 that formal declarations of war were already falling into disuse by 1787”.

[DugwayDuke]

kawhill wrote: ““The last time the United States formally declared war, using specific terminology, on any nation was on June 4, 1942, when war was declared against Axis-aligned Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania,...”

Please explain what “specific terminology” is required.

[DugwayDuke]

kawhill wrote: ““The last time the United States formally declared war, using specific terminology, on any nation was on June 4, 1942, when war was declared against Axis-aligned Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania,...”

Please explain what “specific terminology” is required.

[DugwayDuke]

kawhill wrote: ““The last time the United States formally declared war, using specific terminology, on any nation was on June 4, 1942, when war was declared against Axis-aligned Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania,...”

Please explain what “specific terminology” is required.

[lepton]

However, Alexander Hamilton observed in Federalist No. 25 that formal declarations of war were already falling into disuse by 1787

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There’s also the matter of what “Declaring War” means. It doesn’t mean mere fighting with another country, but announced seizing of another country or portion thereof by means of war. We’ve fought wars since at least Jefferson without declaration.

But for all the fussing about non-seizing wars not being declared, most people miss the impact that the declaration has on law and civil rights, and the elevation of penalties - and the people who oscillate about a war not being declared tend to be the ones most likely to throw a fit if it were.

If the US President determined the Cartels in Mexico were dangerous, that President could invade to fight with them with no Declaration of War. What a Declaration of War would be for is if Congress decided the US should take possession of Mexico and bring all resources into play to do so, or if Mexico was such a danger that penalties needed to be elevated to ensure the US populate was acting in one accord.