The Senate advanced a measure Thursday designed to rein in President Donald Trump’s military authority, signaling growing unease over his expanding reach in the Western Hemisphere following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The 52-47 procedural vote, which sets the stage for final passage, was carried by Democrats and a bloc of five Republicans who argue Congress must reclaim its constitutional role in authorizing war. While the resolution faces a near-impossible path to becoming law—Trump would almost certainly veto it—the move serves as a pointed rebuke from a chamber that has largely supported the administration’s aggressive foreign policy shifts.
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The resolution would mandate congressional approval for any future military strikes against Venezuela. It comes just days after U.S. forces seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a surprise nighttime raid. Since then, the administration has indicated plans to exert control over Venezuela’s government and vast oil reserves, a rapid escalation that pushed some GOP lawmakers to draw a line.
Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Susan Collins of Maine, and Todd Young of Indiana crossed party lines to advance the measure.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who forced the vote, framed the issue as a necessary check on executive overreach, citing not just the Venezuela operation but the President’s reported interest in other territorial acquisitions, such as Greenland.
“It’s time for Congress to assert its control over military action of this kind, and it’s time to get this out of secrecy and put it in the light,” Kaine said.
The administration has relied on a shifting patchwork of legal justifications for its months-long campaign in Central and South America. What began as counter-narcotics operations utilizing anti-terrorism authorities has morphed into direct regime change, characterized by the White House as a law enforcement operation to bring Maduro to trial in the U.S.
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Despite the defectors, Republican leadership remains firmly behind the President.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) dismissed concerns about the lack of advance notice for the raid, praising the administration’s strategy.
“I think the president has demonstrated at least already a very strong commitment to peace through strength, especially in this hemisphere,” Thune said. “I think Venezuela got that message loudly and clearly.”
While the resolution is unlikely to survive a presidential veto or even pass the House, Thursday’s vote exposes a fracture in the GOP’s unified front as the White House eyes its next moves in the region.
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