Presidents and Instances of Bombings Without Congressional Approval- a history lesson

Bill Clinton (1993–2001)

Somalia (1993): Airstrikes supported U.S. operations without specific congressional approval.
Bosnia (1993–1995): Clinton ordered airstrikes as part of NATO operations without explicit congressional authorization.
Kosovo (1999): Clinton authorized NATO-led airstrikes in Serbia/Kosovo, continuing beyond the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit, arguing implicit congressional approval through funding. Critics challenged this as unconstitutional.
Iraq (1998): Operation Desert Fox involved airstrikes without specific congressional approval, relying on prior AUMFs.
Sudan and Afghanistan (1998): Airstrikes on al-Qaeda targets followed embassy bombings, justified under executive authority.

Barack Obama (2009–2017)

Libya (2011): Obama ordered airstrikes as part of a NATO campaign without congressional approval, arguing the actions didn’t constitute “hostilities” under the War Powers Resolution. This was highly controversial.
Syria (2014–2017): Airstrikes against ISIS relied on the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, despite debate over their applicability, without new congressional approval.
Iraq (2014–2017): Renewed airstrikes against ISIS used existing AUMFs.
Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan: Extensive drone strikes targeted militants, justified under executive authority and the 2001 AUMF, with no specific congressional approval. In 2016, the U.S. dropped 26,171 bombs, mostly in Syria and Iraq.
Afghanistan: Continued airstrikes, with a 40% increase in 2016, relied on prior authorizations.

Joe Biden (2021–2025)

Syria (2021): Biden ordered airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias without specific congressional approval, citing self-defense and existing AUMFs.
Yemen (2024): Airstrikes on Houthi targets in response to Red Sea attacks lacked specific congressional authorization, drawing criticism from lawmakers.
Afghanistan, Somalia: Limited airstrikes continued under prior AUMFs.
12 Comments
Alexander Hamilton:...when a foreign nation declares, or openly and avowedly makes war upon the United States, they are then by the very fact, already at war, and any declaration on the part of Congress is nugatory: it is at least unnecessary.
Trump has 48 hours to notify Congress, and up to 90 days total before needing formal authorization. We’re well within that window.

Jefferson was the first U.S. president to use military force abroad without a declaration of war, a precedent in presidential war powers.

Yes and no. Congress did pass the Act for Protection of Commerce and Seamen of the United States Against the Tripolitan Corsairs on Feb 6, 1802. Before that was some action taken by Jefferson and the U.S. navy, but he ordered them to take only defensive action. And William Eaton's first Marine expedition to Tripoli occurred after that in 1805.

So IMHO it's a bit of a stretch to include the First Barbary War as an example of military force without a declaration of war.

nugatory /noo′gə-tôr″ē, nyoo -/

adjective

Of little or no importance; trifling.

"The nation's interests in such a remote region were nugatory."

Unavailing, futile, or invalid.

"Efforts to remedy the situation proved to be nugatory."

Trifling; vain; futile; insignificant.

Similar: triflingvainfutileinsignificant

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