Sen. Rand Paul said Tuesday he believes President Trump understands Congress is the body that authorizes war — not the president — as lawmakers begin to debate whether to extend war powers to Mr. Trump for use against the Islamic State.

Lawmakers will hold a hearing Wednesday as they weigh updating the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which granted the president permission to go after terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and then to unseat Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

In the years since, however, al Qaeda has changed, and the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has arisen as the new global terrorist network, including claiming responsibility for this week’s attack in Britain.

Some legal analysts have suggested the current AUMF doesn’t authorize strikes against the Islamic State, and lawmakers are proposing new legislation to update the president’s authority.

But Mr. Paul has warned some of the new proposals pushed by his colleagues would give the president unlimited war powers.

“I do think the president is with me on this — on the Constitution. Our founding fathers are with me on this too,” Mr. Paul told Fox News Tuesday.

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