Iran has been a significant source of trouble in the Middle East for decades. They fund terrorist organizations, supply weapons to Islamic insurgents, and are actively pursuing nuclear weapons, a development that is concerning to everyone.
On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took to his official X account to put Iran on notice.
Message to IRAN:
We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing.
You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 1, 2025
We certainly do know what Iran is doing. We may not know all that Iran is doing, but we know the broad strokes, and we know that they are bad actors.
But how much action can the administration take unilaterally?
The Constitution empowers Congress with the authority to declare war under Article 1, Section 8. However, Congress has not exercised this power since 1941. While the president is designated as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces under Article II, Section 2, their actions are subject to limitations without Congressional approval.
In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Act, granting the president the ability to engage in military actions with “statutory authorization” or in the case of a national emergency. The Act stipulates that the deployment of armed forces beyond 60 days requires Congressional intervention.
