Trump on Wednesday in a series of tweets threatened the US Senate against adopting a resolution that would curb his or any US president's ability to wage war, arguing that it would send "a very bad signal" to Iran and threaten national security.
"It is very important for our Country’s SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution. We are doing very well with Iran and this is not the time to show weakness. Americans overwhelmingly support our attack on terrorist Soleimani [...] If my hands were tied, Iran would have a field day. Sends a very bad signal. The Democrats are only doing this as an attempt to embarrass the Republican Party. Don’t let it happen!”, Trump tweeted.
Trump unilaterally authorized the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) elite Quds force, justifying his action by the alleged threat that the top Iranian general represented for American troops and assets. The 3 January US airstrike also killed several senior members of the Iraqi military as the group traveled near the Baghdad international airport. The move prompted fears of a new full-scale war in the Middle East and subsequently a review of the 1973 War Powers Act.
The measure - initially proposed by Senator Tim Kaine after the Soleimani assassination - will require a US president to request Congressional authorization before proceeding with any military action.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the resolution abused the War Powers Act because that law was intended to prevent the deployment of US troops into sustained combat without congressional authorization.
Congress passed the original War Powers Act in 1973 in response to US military actions during the Vietnam War. According to media reports, even if the GOP-controlled Senate passes the bill, the War Powers Resolution is unlikely to prevent Trump from attacking Iran as his administration can exploit a clause in the act regarding imminent threat.
According to the US Constitution, only the US Congress has the authority to officially declare war.