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Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

The Conversation

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Trump sidelined Congress’ authority over war on Iran – and lawmakers allowed it, extending a 75‑year trend

Congress has refused to exercise oversight of the Iran war, with Republicans nixing Democrats’ attempts to exercise legislators’ power over...

17.04.2026 8

The Conversation

Sarah Burns

Congress once fought to limit a president’s war powers − more than 50 years later, its successors are less willing to assert their authority

At the tail end of the Vietnam War, Congress engaged in a breathtaking act of legislative assertion, affirming that lawmakers’ held the power to...

04.03.2026 10

The Conversation

Sarah Burns

I wrote a book on the politics of war powers, and Trump’s attack on Venezuela reflects Congress surrendering its decision-making powers

Congress has a legal, constitutional and even moral responsibility to assert itself as a branch when it comes to military actions by the US, says an...

03.01.2026 20

The Conversation

Sarah Burns

Presidents of both parties have launched military action without Congress declaring war − Trump’s bombing of Iran is just the latest

Against the backdrop of US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, a scholar of presidential powers examines the history and current use of the laws around...

23.06.2025 20

The Conversation

Sarah Burns