While House Democrats call for checks on President Donald Trump’s military powers, citing fears of “war by tweet,” three senators reportedly sent a letter to the White House on Friday to demand that Trump explain the legal rationale behind his threats to bomb Syria, which lawmakers and experts have argued would be unconstitutional.
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), minority whip and vice chairman of the Defense appropriations subcommittee; Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee; and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Armed Services Committee directly addressed Trump in their letter.
“Given your public statements and those of other members of the administration related to potential military action in Syria,” the senators wrote, “we ask that you promptly provide the legal basis for any potential or anticipated military action in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in Douma on April 7.”
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“As part of your response,” they continued, “we also ask that you fully explain any limiting principles on the use of the U.S. military to conduct military action absent a specific authorization for the use of military force by the Congress.”
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