国会可以宣战，批准预算，通过大多数高级官员任命，以及（就参议院来说）提准条约，但在绝大多数情况下，总统在执行外交或者除了战争之外的军事行动方面都拥有极大的自由度。
Yes, Congress must declare war, approve spending, agree to most senior appointments, and (in the case of the Senate) ratify treaties, but the president has enormous latitude when it comes to carrying out diplomacy and using military force in situations other than war, which tend to be most situations.