Who has the power to declare war?

Congress has the power to declare war as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the authority to "declare war," which ensures that the decision to engage in military conflict is made by the elected representatives of the people rather than by a single individual. This design reflects the founders' intent to prevent any one person from having too much control over military actions, promoting a system of checks and balances within the government.

While the President can act as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and has the authority to deploy military forces in certain situations, only Congress has the formal power to declare war. This separation of powers is crucial to maintaining democratic governance and accountability in matters of national security.

The other choices do not align with the constitutional responsibilities regarding war powers: the Supreme Court primarily interprets laws and does not engage in matters of military action, while state governors have authority over state militias but do not possess any federal power to declare war.