The last formal declaration of war by the US was during World War 2.

We got very good at gray area nonsense. The Korean War is not a war, it's a conflict. The Vietnam War is not a war, it's an engagement. We have police actions, "peacekeeping" operations, and a hundred other things...but not "wars".

We have the "global war on terror" and the accompanying Authorization for the Use of Military Force, created in the wake of 9/11 and still in effect today.

Congressional approval of military action is fundamentally dead.

Congress has been happily shedding its powers for decades. They don't want to be held responsible if a war turns out badly, so they haven't declared a war since 1945, I believe.

It wasn't supposed to be how it worked but our legislature is basically dysfunctional and either vaguely gave away or just won't protect its own power.

You’re right; it’s how the US malfunctions.

This administration has been great at finding bugs in the code where the devs refuse to do shit

That said this particular bug for starting wars without congress has been exploited for decades with no patches in site

Congress does not have a spine.

Generally no, but if you gaslight yourself into thinking you're the greatest democracy in the world with no equal and you need no patches or bugfixes, you can achieve a lot without any real checks or balances.