In a significant move that underscores deep political divisions over executive power, Senate Republicans successfully thwarted a bipartisan resolution on Wednesday that aimed to compel former President Donald Trump to seek congressional authorization before initiating further military action in Venezuela.
Pressure from the Top Sways Key Votes
The resolution, advanced under the War Powers Act, ultimately failed after two Republican senators reversed their previous supportive stance. Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana backed down following what sources described as heavy pressure from Trump himself.
Both lawmakers pointed to direct assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio as their reason for changing course. Hawley recounted to reporters on Capitol Hill that Rubio explicitly told him, "I can tell you we're not going to do ground troops." Hawley characterized the Secretary's commitments regarding adherence to constitutional statutes as "terrific."
This reversal came just one week after Hawley and four other GOP senators crossed party lines to vote with Democrats, advancing the resolution in a symbolic rebuke of unilateral executive action. The White House had already signaled Trump would veto the measure if it passed, but the former president was reportedly furious with the defecting Republicans, attacking them on social media and by phone, and declaring they should "never be elected to office again."
A Procedural Maneuver Seals the Fate
Facing potential embarrassment, Senate Republican leadership devised a plan to kill the resolution using a procedural tactic. They raised a point of order arguing that, under the specific rules of the War Powers Act, a vote could only be forced if U.S. armed forces were engaged in "hostilities" or facing "imminent hostilities." Their argument asserted that no such condition currently exists between the United States and Venezuela.
This point of order was sustained in a dramatic 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking ballot. The procedural victory effectively tabled the resolution, preventing a final vote on its merits.
Democrats fiercely contested the logic behind the maneuver. Senator Tim Kaine, the Virginia Democrat who sponsored the resolution, called the claim of no imminent hostilities "a violation of every reasonable meaning of that term." He pointed to ongoing U.S. actions in the region, including airstrikes against suspected drug smugglers and a naval blockade of Venezuela, as evidence to the contrary.
Broader Concerns Over Congressional Abdication
The outcome sparked sharp criticism from Democrats and raised alarms about the erosion of congressional war powers. They accused Republicans of willingly ceding their constitutional authority to declare war to an emboldened executive branch.
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey voiced a profound concern shared by many in his party. "These are constitutional principles that are really being undermined right now," Booker told HuffPost. He emphasized the unprecedented nature of the situation, stating, "This is a president who is taking actions like no other president has done in the history of our country."
Booker and others warned that the precedent set extends beyond Venezuela, noting Trump's threats of military action against other nations like Iran and Mexico. The episode highlights a continuing struggle between the legislative and executive branches over who holds the ultimate power to commit American forces to potential conflict, a foundational issue of U.S. governance that remains fiercely contested.
