At a Glance
- Senate vote 51-50 blocks resolution requiring Trump to seek Congress approval before military action in Venezuela
- Sens. Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed positions after Trump pressure, sinking measure
- Vice President JD Vance cast tiebreaking vote to scuttle war powers resolution
- Why it matters: Congress loses latest attempt to reclaim constitutional authority over military deployments
A dramatic 51-50 Senate vote Wednesday killed a war-powers resolution that would have forced President Donald Trump to secure congressional approval before using military force in Venezuela, after two Republican senators who initially supported the measure reversed their positions under pressure from the White House.
Amanda S. Bennett reported the vote broke 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the decisive ballot to strip the resolution of its privileged status, effectively ending its chances of passage. The measure had appeared on track for approval after advancing 52-47 last week.
GOP Senators Flip After Trump Pressure
Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana both voted last week to advance the resolution requiring prior congressional approval for military action in Venezuela. Their support proved crucial in moving the measure forward.
But after President Trump publicly attacked the five Republicans who backed the resolution and privately pressured lawmakers, Hawley and Young changed their votes. Trump warned that those who supported the measure “should never be elected to office again.”
Hawley said he changed his position after receiving a letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio assuring him that no U.S. ground troops are currently deployed in Venezuela. Rubio also pledged that if the administration decided to send forces there, “they would come to Congress for congressional authorization.”
Young issued a statement explaining his reversal: “After numerous conversations with senior national security officials, I have received assurances that there are no American troops in Venezuela. I’ve also received a commitment that if President Trump were to determine American forces are needed in major military operations in Venezuela, the Administration will come to Congress in advance to ask for an authorization of force.”
Republicans Who Defied Trump
Despite the White House pressure campaign, three Republicans maintained their support for the resolution alongside all 47 Democratic senators. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine voted to move forward with the measure.
The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to reassert congressional authority over military deployments after Trump has escalated rhetoric about potential action in Venezuela while also making threats against Iran and expressing interest in acquiring Greenland.
Constitutional Authority at Stake
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who championed the war powers measure, argued before the vote that Congress must reclaim its constitutional role in authorizing military force.
“The American people don’t want Donald Trump sending our troops into harm’s way without so much as a debate in Congress,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump is turning the Caribbean into a dangerous powder keg-and Congress must rein him in before one mistake ignites a larger, more unstable conflict. So, the Senate needs to exert its constitutional role when it comes to the use of military force.”
The vote represents another example of Republican lawmakers’ reluctance to challenge Trump on national security issues, even as many express concerns about his increasingly aggressive foreign policy stance. The president’s ability to flip votes with public pressure and private lobbying has reinforced his dominance over the GOP caucus.
According to News Of Los Angeles‘s reporting, this latest development comes as Trump continues to threaten further action in Venezuela while escalating tensions with other nations. The administration has given no indication it plans to seek congressional approval for any future military operations in the region.
War Powers Resolution Background
The resolution would have required Trump to obtain congressional authorization before deploying military forces to Venezuela for sustained combat operations. While presidents have historically avoided seeking such approval for limited strikes or special operations, the measure aimed to establish clear congressional oversight for any significant military intervention.
The vote’s failure means Trump retains broad discretion to order military action in Venezuela without first consulting Congress, though he has pledged to seek approval if ground troops are needed for major operations. Critics argue this commitment falls short of constitutional requirements that give Congress, not the president, authority to declare war.
The narrow margin of defeat underscores the deep partisan divide over war powers and executive authority in an era of increasingly assertive presidential military action. With Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, similar efforts to limit Trump’s military authority appear unlikely to succeed in the near term.
