WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a bipartisan effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s authority to use military force in Venezuela, dealing a blow to lawmakers seeking to reassert Congress’s constitutional role in authorizing overseas hostilities.
Vice President JD Vance traveled to the Capitol to cast the tie-breaking vote, defeating a resolution that would have required the Trump administration to obtain congressional approval before expanding military action in the country.
The vote followed a dramatic reversal by two Republican senators — Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana — who had previously supported advancing the measure but withdrew their backing after intense pressure from the White House. Both senators said they received assurances from the administration about limits on U.S. involvement in Venezuela.
The resolution, co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, and supported by Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, was the latest attempt to curb the president’s unilateral use of force amid the administration’s escalating military operations in South America.
Hawley said Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured him that no U.S. ground troops would be deployed to Venezuela and that Congress would be consulted if that changed. Young said he received “fairly extensive personal assurances” that the administration would seek congressional authorization before any major expansion of military operations. Rubio is expected to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this month, Young said.
The administration’s pressure campaign included direct outreach from Trump and Rubio to wavering senators, underscoring the president’s influence within the Republican Party. Trump publicly criticized GOP lawmakers who initially supported the measure, warning that they risked political consequences for opposing his agenda.
The effort marked the second time since November that Congress has attempted to limit Trump’s war powers. The issue has gained urgency following U.S. military actions that led earlier this month to the removal and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, prompting classified briefings that further polarized lawmakers.
Kaine criticized Hawley’s reversal, questioning whether Congress had any role in decisions of war and peace. Paul dismissed the administration’s claim that the United States is not engaged in a war as misleading, arguing that naval blockades, airstrikes and economic pressure constitute acts of war.
“If you have bombed their capital and are preventing ships from entering or leaving, that is war,” Paul said, calling the administration’s position “an elaborate ruse.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of two Republicans who voted with Democrats to support the resolution, said Congress has a constitutional obligation to authorize military hostilities and provide oversight before conflicts escalate.
“The decisions of this magnitude require debate and accountability,” Murkowski said in a statement.
Although the resolution failed, Kaine said the effort had forced the administration to make commitments to Congress and signaled his intention to continue challenging presidential emergency powers and unauthorized military actions.
