Five Republican Senators Side With Democrats In Rare Rebuke of Trump
5 days ago
The U.S. Senate voted 52–47 on Thursday to advance a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, marking a rare bipartisan pushback against the president’s expanding military posture in the region.
Five Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, which now heads toward a final vote next week. The resolution follows a dramatic U.S. operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an action that sparked concern among lawmakers about whether Congress was adequately informed.
President Trump criticized the Republican senators who supported the resolution, saying in a social media post that they “should never be elected to office again.”
Supporters of the measure argue it reinforces Congress’s constitutional role in authorizing military action. Opponents say the operation that captured Maduro was a law enforcement action and that Trump remains within his authority as commander in chief.
Even if approved by the Senate, the resolution faces long odds. It would need to pass the Republican-controlled House and overcome an expected presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
Five Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, which now heads toward a final vote next week. The resolution follows a dramatic U.S. operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an action that sparked concern among lawmakers about whether Congress was adequately informed.
President Trump criticized the Republican senators who supported the resolution, saying in a social media post that they “should never be elected to office again.”
Supporters of the measure argue it reinforces Congress’s constitutional role in authorizing military action. Opponents say the operation that captured Maduro was a law enforcement action and that Trump remains within his authority as commander in chief.
Even if approved by the Senate, the resolution faces long odds. It would need to pass the Republican-controlled House and overcome an expected presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
