Time for a procedural check question: Trump can't get our troops into a battle skirmish

[Wounded Bear]

3. That hasn't been true since Vietnam...

It only becomes a question when it becomes a major military operation. How big of an operation isn't really well defined.

"Skirmish" usually refers to a small battle between two small military forces. POTUS can send in a SEAL Team basically anywhere for any reason, and engage in lethal force to accomplish whatever the mission is. Sending in the whole 101st Airborne division would be problematic and would "require" a declaration of war or something. Would a battalion or brigate level operation be a war or not? Good question.

Sadly, in an era when small unit actions are more the norm, POTUS can get us involved in a lot of fighting without Congressional approval. Knowing trump, he will stretch the limits to the max.