Do you agree with Stephen King?

[red dog 1]

Link to tweet

[Greg_In_SF]

1. No

He needs at read Article II.

[ABC123Easy]

11. Not sure

What Article II are you reading? Certainly not the Article II in the US constitution. Please, I'd LOVE to see where it gives the POTUS the right to declare war. Please educate the rest of us.
Specifically.....show us where it gives the aforementioned power.

Maybe you have a special Heritage Foundation edition?

[kurtyboy]

12. Which Section?

Please enlighten us with your Konstitutional wisdom, Greg.

Don't simply cite the passage; provide some analysis.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts...

[Greg_In_SF]

23. Article II Commander-in-Chief power

The Presidential authority to direct U.S. Military forces is applicable in this scenario. The only question is whether an independent U.S. threat assessment is/was required and not just reliance on an ally’s judgment. I'll have to look back to see if Mr. King said the same thing when we carried out attacks in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen without congressional approval.

[kurtyboy]

26. I asked for your analysis, and got none.

How, in your telling, does this SECOND article of the Constitution override the contents of the first one? (note: the Framers were very conscious of the order of these articles, putting the most fundamental principles ahead of others.)

If you accept that in your understanding, the two articles are in conflict, why does Article II get the deference?

And once more, show your work. You made an assertion--support it with actual evidence or STFU.

To your question about the military actions in three other cases, please be specific with dates and actions. I believe they were authorized by Congress under the AUMF. No further Congressional authorization would have been required.

[EdmondDantes_]

43. The War Powers Act provides the legal coverage

He can use the military up to 90 days without congressional approval. That's been the law for a long time. Obama used it, Clinton used it. The opposition party complains, but nobody ever makes a serious attempt to rein that power in after giving it to the president.

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13134

As for the AUMF, that was tied to those who helped plan, execute, or aides the September 11th attacks. There's no real link between that and our attacks in Yemen or the Philippines.

[Bev54]

34. Where in the constitution does it give him the power to declare war?

[Greg_In_SF]

56. It doesn't,

and there has been no declaration of war. There hasn't been a declaration of war since WW II.

[Bev54]

59. If this isn't war then what is it? Just because someone doesn't declare it doesn't mean

it is just pretend.

[Greg_In_SF]

65. I don't know

a "military action"? What have we called all the military conflicts we have been in over the past 85 years? The Gulf War was clearly a war, even though war was never declared.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

63. "Stephen King must provide an appropriate answer

to my arbitrary demand or whatever he says now means nothing."

[Cirsium]

14. Here we go

Article II

Section 1

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:– I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Section 2

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section 4

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

[Kingofalldems]

17. Oh really.

Link to tweet

[Greg_In_SF]

20. And, guess what,

he was wrong!

[mzmolly]

2. Yes

[wendyb-NC]

3. Pretty much

His reckless attack on Iran is endangering the whole planet, and every living creature, including humans, he is out of control.

[highplainsdem]

4. There are LOTS of grounds for impeaching Trump.

[Greg_In_SF]

5. Indeed there are

but this isn't one of them.

[Cirsium]

16. Since you are right

Since you are right and everyone else is wrong, perhaps you might care to share your logic with the rest of us. I posted Article II above to help you.

Sorry for being a little prickly, but you were pretty dismissive of me. I would be happy to be shown to be wrong about this and bury the grudge.

[EdmondDantes_]

22. It's long been held that presidents have some leeway on this

Per the War Powers Act the president can launch military attacks for up to 90 days without Congress. In 2011, the Obama administration argued that they could go longer if no ground forces were involved.

Unfortunately Congress has long shifted their role in government to an ever more powerful president. Not saying it shouldn't be changed, but many of the same people yelling today, weren't arguing to fix in before.

https://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2025/06/presidents-of-both-parties-have-launched-military-action-without-congress-declaring-war/

[Cirsium]

24. Thanks

Congressional power has been steadily eroded.

Many of us have consistently opposed most uses of force by the executive - Viet Nam, Latin America, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yugoslavia, etc. But what the hell do we know? Bombs away!

[Bev54]

36. I thought that was if it was a short time retaliatory strike?

[EdmondDantes_]

40. He has to notify Congressional leaders within 48 hours

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13134


It's officially 60 days without congressional approval, but with an additional 40 day draw down, so effectively 90 days.

[SergeStorms]

61. Unfortunately....

you're correct. There's quite a long list of presidents who've taken actions like this without a formal declaration of war.

Everyone's a little hot about this right now, and with our seething, gut-wrenching, hate of The Big Orange Fascist Pig 🐖 many are forgetting about those other presidential incursions upon other countries.

I hate being the voice of reason, but you're absolutely correct.

Don't take anything said by others to heart.

[roamer65]

6. Dump is a pedo.

Impeach and remove.

EPSTEIN FILES.

[ancianita]

7. Absolutely. Impeach his ass. Just for the record if nothing else.

[Skittles]

8. yes

but not a fucking thing will happen

[OldBaldy1701E]

51. Exactly. (n/t)

[debsy]

9. 100%

[angrychair]

10. Not about agreeing

It's about our ability to actually do it.

Congress does not have the power to impeach him.

Why?

Well mainly because the Republicans in the Senate would never do it.

But even if we did, Congress has no ability to enforce it. All of the control of the military and law enforcement is with the executive.
The legislative and judicial branches of government are paper tigers because they have no means to enforce their will on the Executive branch.

[COL Mustard]

37. The Legislature actually writes the laws of the United States.

They also have the power of the purse. Again, that is in the Constitution. If they wanted to, they could appropriate zero dollars for the Defense Department, or could expressly pass a law that prohibited military actions.

[angrychair]

39. In normal times I would agree

But not with this administration. The fact of the matter is that the executive has always, technically, had th ability to operate without Congress. They control the Treasury and IRS and the Federal Reserve.
They have also always had the ability to ignore laws passed by Congress because they are the ones responsible for enforcing the laws. The DOJ and FBI and all the other federal law enforcement all work for the executive, so who exactly is going to enforce those new laws when the people that are talked with enforcement all work for the guy the laws are against?

[ABC123Easy]

13. Of course!

I can read Article I.

[Moostache]

15. Only if we are getting conviction...

Impeachment used to be a stain on the individual impeached...now its a goddamn party favor or goof gag gift.

I want to witness Trump die of a heart attack on camera today. And every day that he does not die in that manner is another bad day.

[madamesilverspurs]

18. How about a "cluster impeachment" --

The whole damned administration is complicit, Trump, Vance, Miller, "advisors", cabinet on down; also include Mike Johnson and any senator that refused to convict on either previous impeachment. Triple cuffs for Bondi. Round 'em up, take away their phones and keys, and put them into one of their precious detention centers to await trial.

Yeah, I am way beyond pissed.


.

[calimary]

46. They sure have earned it.

[Gordcanuck]

19. So far the only two countries

that have bombed children’s schools in recent times are Russia and the U.S.

[mountain grammy]

33. Pretty sure the IDF has taken out many schools

along with hospitals, homes and, well, just about everything.

Depressing..

[BluenFLA]

21. Yup, no doubt

[Martin Eden]

25. How many wars have we engaged in since the last time Congress declared war?

Not saying this latest action, without Congressional authorization, is legal. Just pointing out Article 1, Section 8 needs amending.

[JohnnyRingo]

27. Trump used the word "war". He has declared war by himself.

Not a surgical strike or a police action, it's a shooting war.
No American has the power to do that.

[SergeStorms]

62. We all know how tRump.....

says things from his mouth without first engaging his brain. It happens hourly. In his demented mind we were at "war" with Venezuela when they abducted Maduro.

We should never take anything coming out of his porcine mouth as gospel. In his mind, raping little girls is a "date."

[Joinfortmill]

28. YES

[sinkingfeeling]

29. Sure do

[NoMoreRepugs]

30. TrumpenFuhrer needs to take his dirtnap, preferably real soon.

[mucholderthandirt]

31. Congress doesn't care. Half the Democrats will vote to support what Trump does. There are no reins on the orange idiot.

[GiqueCee]

32. I wholeheartedly agree with Stephen!

As I've stated quite unequivocally before, Trump was born evil. He is a psychopath, and you cannot rehabilitate a psychopath; you can only contain it, or subject it to the ultimate punishment. That creature has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not one. The motherfucker doesn't even like dogs! There are yet to be substantiated rumors that he killed puppies for fun, because they wouldn't let him kill a little girl. Well, he's satisfied that diseased urge as of today, now let's see what he does to escalate his psychopathy.
Gee, I guess that doesn't say anything good about the dregs of society that still support him, does it. Well, he's gonna take them down with him, and they're too close to the cliff to bail out now. B'bye, assholes.

[Bayard]

35. Yes, indeedy!

He is a wise man.

[Mr. Evil]

38. Well,

what about the shitbags in the military that immediately went along with it? That immediately obeyed an illegal order? All this to protect a child rapist. Fuck our military! Fuck 'em all!

[LAS14]

41. It seems like "war" has been defined so restrictively...

... that the present can launch just about any military action and congress just rolls over and plays dead.

[SheltieLover]

42. Absolutely!

[Figarosmom]

44. Very much so.😊

[niyad]

45. Absolutely agree with Stephen King!

[melm00se]

48. The conflict

between Congress' war declaration power and the President's commander-in-chief role is one of the larger mistakes that the Framers made.

Congress tried to resolve it with the War Powers Resolution/Act.

Congress is confident that they are right and the Constitution supports them and the President is confident that he is right and the Constitution supports him.

Neither side is willing to put this conflict in front of the Supreme Court, as neither side is that confident of their position. A ruling by the Supreme Court would dramatically alter the balance of power when it comes to the use of the military, and neither side wants to take that risk.

[alfredo]

49. Assassinating a head of state invites

Others to return the favor.

[Blue_Roses]

50. Absolutely!Yes!!

N/T

[Beringia]

52. I'm surprised people aren't making a bigger deal of this, there should be guard rails

[Clouds Passing]

53. Impeach - Imprison - Immediately

[Lokee11]

54. 1 thing we are all sure of is -

Nothing in the constitution gives that Orange Fucking Slob nor anyone the right to RAPE children!!!!

[Charmin One]

55. Trump has 48 hours

To notify congress. That should happen by early tomorrow morning.

[Martin68]

57. Only Congress has the power to impeach. If Republicans who control Congress won't carry out their Constitutional

obligations, why would they impeach the president? Democrats tried to head off this war by voting against a war resolution, but the Repukes blocked it. They own this.

[the_liberal_grandpa]

58. Yes! and I believe in Ka

The wheel will turn and the child rapist will get whats coming to him.

We need a "Gunslinger" who can take down the dark tower.

[calimary]

60. At this point, just waiting NOT ONLY for the day the SOB is impeached.

Or jailed.

Or fined.

Or forced to give up everything he’s stolen.

Or even all three at once.

I’m waiting for the day when that SOB has finally earned “THAT” infamous “ride”. All the way down into Hell.

[some_of_us_are_sane]

64. Yep!

[mdbl]

66. Absolutely. Only Stephen King can get me to click on a twatter feed.