Revitalize America Now, Inc.

Donald Cleveland, author, civil rights advocate, and political scientist strongly condemns President Trump, the U.S. Department of War and the General Staff for the war they initiated with Iran.  He said, “It is blatantly unconstitutional, illegal and beyond the scope of authority of the executive branch of our government!”

Cleveland pointed out that “Under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, Congress alone possesses the authority to declare war. The President, while serving as Commander-in-Chief, does not possess the constitutional power to initiate or declare war against a foreign nation. As the Supreme Court acknowledged in the landmark Prize Cases 67 U.S. 2 Black 635 (1862), ‘war is a condition of armed hostility between nations, and the lawful commencement of such war by the United States requires congressional authorization.’

Citing authorities going back to the foundation of our country Cleveland said, “Legal authorities have long affirmed this principle. Jurist Chancellor James Kent, 1763 – 1847, former Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals, wrote that war cannot lawfully be commenced by the United States without an act of Congress, and that such an act serves as the formal notice to the world that the nation has entered a state of war.”

“The current attack against Iran is a condition of armed hostility between nations, and it has not been authorized by Congress. Accordingly, the United States has been thrust into an illegal and unconstitutional war. “  He added.

Cleveland went on to state, “The recent military actions ordered by President Donald Trump against Iran constitute a crass and dangerous violation of the United States Constitution. This unlawful action carries grave consequences. This action destroys a fundamental civil right of American military personnel, namely their right to  life!  Those brave military personnel who have lost their lives were immediately deprived of their civil right to life by the illegal acts of the President and War Department.  Their life has been forfeited by government officials acting under the “color of law, ”  but not under the true law of the land.  Their families should expect to be supported in both civil rights and criminal actions against the President and other government officials who are flagrantly and illegally violating the Constitution.”

“When American soldiers are killed or wounded in a war initiated without constitutional authority, their most fundamental civil rights have been violated. They are placed in harm’s way without the lawful consent of the American people through their elected representatives in Congress.”

“Let’s not joke with each other about how to define “war.” Cleveland said.   While the Constitution doesn’t define war, Federal law recognizes the grave nature of armed conflict. Under 42 U.S.C. §1711, “war-risk hazards” are defined as “whenever the United States is engaged in armed conflict—whether formally declared or not.” This statute acknowledges that military hostilities create legal consequences for the lives and rights of those involved. Yet those protections presuppose a conflict entered into lawfully under the Constitution.  Further, when no clear definition exists in law, as some might say in this case, the Supreme Court, in  United States v. Granderson, stated: “A basic principle of statutory construction provides that where words in a statute are not defined, they must be given their ordinary meaning.”   In this case, the ordinary meaning of WAR is given in Black’s Law Dictionary.  2nd Edition.  War is ‘a state of forcible contention; an armed contest between nations; a state of hostility between two or more nations or states.’  So, there can be no question, THE UNITED STATES IS AT WAR WITH IRAN!”

“Because the military campaign against Iran lacks a constitutional foundation, it represents an unlawful use of American armed forces.  The present conflict has been initiated without constitutional authority.  Every member of the U.S. military has taken the following oath,  “I, ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same . . . “   All military personnel have a duty to refuse unlawful orders directing them to prosecute this illegal war against Iran.” Cleveland pointed out.

“The American people must demand that:

1. States Attorneys General and Civil Rights legal advocates should work with the families of the deceased military personnel to bring both civil and criminal actions against the President and other government officials for violating the dead soldier’s civil rights.
2. All military personnel should refuse to carry out any orders to attack Iran. Such orders are unlawful and violate the Constitution, their oath and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
3. Congress must reassert its exclusive constitutional authority over war-making.
4. The rights and safety of American service members must be protected from illegal deployment into hostilities.
5. Hostile actions against Iran must stop immediately unless and until approved by Congress.”

“No President may unilaterally place the nation into war. The framers of the Constitution deliberately placed that power in Congress to prevent exactly this kind of unilateral executive action.

The rule of law must prevail over executive overreach. The Constitution is not optional, even for the President of the United States.” He concluded.

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Date Posted: March 18, 2026