Article II, Section 2: President as Commander-in-Chief

The president has the power to wage war. The president’s role as commander-in-chief provides for civilian control of the military. The U.S. legislature’s power to declare war and the president’s power to command the armed forces are examples of the system of checks and balances. The War Powers Resolution (1973) was an attempt to clarify the relationship between the president and Congress in military matters.

Supreme Court cases involving the president’s power as Commander in Chief include Korematsu v. United States (1944) and Youngstown Company v. Sawyer (1952).