The White House declined to answer whether US President Donald Trump intends to seek authorization from Congress if he decides to use military force against Iran.
“I will not comment on hypothetical situations“, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said at a regular briefing for journalists, when asked if Trump would seek authorization from Congress if he decides to use force against Iran.
"He will make a decision within two weeks," the White House spokeswoman said. She read a short written statement from Trump at the beginning of the briefing, saying that according to the American leader there is a chance for diplomatic interaction with Tehran on its nuclear program and within two weeks the head of the Washington administration will decide whether the United States will strike Iran.
Leavitt stressed that Trump would not hesitate to give the order to strike Iran if diplomatic efforts fail.
"I think the president has made it clear that he always wants to use diplomacy. But believe me, the president is not afraid to use force when necessary," the spokeswoman said. "Iran and the international community should know that the United States military is the most powerful in the world. And we have capabilities that no other country on the planet has," Leavitt added.
The US Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the right to declare war. But in recent decades, American leaders have interpreted the authorizations given to them by lawmakers to use military force abroad very broadly, including to launch new operations. In recent days, several members of Congress have drafted resolutions requiring Trump to use military force against Iran only with legislative authorization. None of those resolutions have yet passed.