In a razor-thin victory for the White House, Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to dismiss a war powers resolution aimed at checking President Donald Trump’s military authority in Venezuela. The measure, which had initially garnered bipartisan support, failed after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote to shatter a 50-50 deadlock.
The collapse of the resolution followed an intense pressure campaign from the President, leading two key Republicans—Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana—to withdraw their support just days after voting to advance the debate.
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Their reversal effectively shielded the administration from legislation that sought to limit further military engagement following the surprise capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
While the bill faced a near-impossible path to becoming law—requiring Trump’s own signature—it served as a litmus test for GOP loyalty amid growing congressional anxiety over the administration’s aggressive foreign policy, which includes recent overtures regarding Greenland.
Trump lit up the defectors within his party.
In a speech Tuesday, he lambasted the initial Republican support for the measure, labeling Sen. Rand Paul a “stone cold loser” and referring to Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins as “disasters” for maintaining their stance.
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For Hawley and Young, however, direct appeals from the administration proved decisive. Hawley cited a phone call where the President argued the bill would “tie his hands,” followed by assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that there were no plans for ground troops. Young similarly reversed his position after securing a commitment for Rubio to testify publicly before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We’re getting along very well with Venezuela,” Trump remarked at an unrelated signing ceremony Wednesday, signaling confidence as his party successfully headed off the legislative rebuke.
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