WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly voted to advance a resolution to rein in President Donald Trump’s war powers and limit what military action he can order “within or against Venezuela” after the United States carried out strikes in the country last week and captured its president.
The Senate voted 52-47 to move forward with a resolution reasserting Congress’ war powers authority in the Constitution that military action cannot be initiated unless it receives congressional approval through a vote. Five Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the resolution, just barely overcoming the simple majority vote needed to pass.
A final vote on the resolution will likely come sometime next week, but the move on Thursday offers a rare moment in which Republicans have blocked Trump from taking action.
Both Utah Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis voted against the bill.
Trump was quick to decry the five Republican defectors, telling them they “should be ashamed” for wanting to block his military actions. He even went so far as to say the five “should never be elected again.”
“This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “In any event, and despite their ‘stupidity,’ the War Powers Act is Unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me.”
The vote comes just days after the U.S. carried out strikes against Venezuela last weekend and captured the country’s president on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.
The Senate was briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on the operation on Wednesday to detail the operation, but a number of Republicans left the meeting without clarity on a path forward — prompting their support to limit Trump’s authority.
Others said they wanted to vote on the resolution to clearly outline which body of government has control to authorize military action. Only Congress can approve an act of war under the Constitution.
“The debate really isn’t about good or evil, bad or good,” GOP Sen. Rand Paul, a co-sponsor of the resolution, told reporters on Wednesday. “The question is about who has the power to take the country to war.”
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who said she was undecided after the briefing on Wednesday, ultimately voted in favor of the resolution, noting it did not include language related to the removal of Venezuela’s president and maintained the president’s ability to defend the U.S. in case of an attack.
“I believe invoking the War Powers Act at this moment is necessary, given the President’s comments about the possibility of ‘boots on the ground’ and a sustained engagement ‘running’ Venezuela, with which I do not agree,” she said in a statement.
But other Republicans argued the operation fell under Trump’s Article II authority to protect the country from “actual or imminent attack,” only requiring him to notify Congress within 48 hours rather than seek advance approval.
“Notification of Congress in advance of really critical and hypersensitive missions, to me, seems ill-advised,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said earlier this week. “I felt that the notification, considering the scope of the mission, was sufficient.”
Thursday’s vote marks the third time Senate Democrats have forced a vote to limit Trump’s military abilities, with two previous unsuccessful attempts related to Iran and another in Venezuela.
If the resolution passes the Senate next week it will then head to the House, where it will need approval to take effect. It’s not clear if the proposal would pass the Republican-led chamber, but GOP leaders are working with a historically small margin — meaning they can only lose one or two Republicans before the measure passes.
Timing on a House vote is not clear.