WILLEMSTAD — The United States Senate has rejected a high-profile resolution that would have restricted President Donald Trump from ordering further military action in Venezuela without prior approval from Congress. In a 51–50 vote on Wednesday, lawmakers blocked the measure, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote to dismiss the proposal.
The resolution was designed to apply the War Powers Resolution — a federal law that requires presidential accountability to Congress before engaging U.S. armed forces in “hostilities” overseas — to Venezuela, where U.S. forces carried out a controversial operation earlier this month that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Supporters argued the measure was needed to uphold constitutional checks and balances.
Initially, several Republican senators had joined Democrats in backing the resolution, advancing it through an early procedural vote by a 52–47 margin last week. However, under pressure from the White House and Trump’s leadership, two Republicans — Senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young — reversed their support ahead of the final vote, leading to the narrow defeat of the measure.
Supporters of the resolution expressed disappointment that Congress missed an opportunity to assert its constitutional role in decisions that could lead to further military engagement. Critics of the administration’s actions argue that requiring congressional approval before any future operations would help maintain legal clarity and public accountability.
Opponents of the resolution, including Senate Republican leaders, countered that the United States is not formally at war with Venezuela and that there are currently no U.S. ground troops deployed there. They framed the vote as unnecessary given the current circumstances, while maintaining that any significant future military actions would still be brought before Congress for authorization.
The close vote underscores ongoing political divisions within Washington over foreign policy and executive authority, particularly following the unprecedented U.S. operation in Venezuela. While the resolution failed this time, backers have indicated they will continue efforts to introduce legislative measures aimed at limiting the scope of presidential war powers in future conflicts.