The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution increased the power of the executive branch by - A allowing the president to use military force without a declaration of war by Congress B authorizing the president to choose the Senate Majority Leader C allowing the president to introduce bills to Congress D expanding the president's right to executive privilege

## Step 1<br />The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress passed on August 7, 1964 in response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. This incident involved reported attacks on U.S. ships by North Vietnamese forces.<br />## Step 2<br />The resolution authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by "communist aggression".<br />## Step 3<br />The resolution effectively gave the president the power to conduct a war without a formal declaration of war by Congress. This is the essence of option A.<br />## Step 4<br />Options B, C, and D are not related to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The resolution did not authorize the president to choose the Senate Majority Leader, allow the president to introduce bills to Congress, or expand the president's right to executive privilege.