In Unprecedented Times, Congress Evades Responsibility

In Unprecedented Times, Congress Evades Responsibility

On constitutional matters of war powers and tariffs, Republican lawmakers have abandoned the field to Trump.

A seated Sen. Adam Schiff gestures with his hands as he speaks in the Senate daily press gallery. November 7, 2025, 5:42 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Trump’s Second Term

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As U.S. President Donald Trump pushes the boundaries of executive power in the matters of trade and military action further and further, Congress’s conspicuous absence in pushing back against the president’s bold usurpation of authorities that the U.S. Constitution explicitly delegates to the legislative branch has become all the more glaring.

Recent votes in the Senate have highlighted just how far afield th