On Thursday, the U.S. Senate moved to restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to carry out additional military operations in or against Venezuela without explicit congressional approval, advancing a bipartisan war powers resolution amid growing concern over the administration’s unilateral actions.
In a 52–47 vote, the Senate agreed to bring the measure to the floor, with five Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky — breaking with party leadership to support advancing the resolution. Several said they backed the initial operation to seize Maduro but opposed any prolonged or expanded military engagement without Congress weighing in.
The vote followed last weekend’s operation that resulted in the capture and extradition of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife to the United States, where they face federal charges including narco-trafficking and weapons offenses. Both have pleaded not guilty. President Trump has since suggested the United States could temporarily “run” Venezuela and has not ruled out deploying American troops there, raising alarms among lawmakers in both parties.
The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul along with several Democratic leaders, would require Congress to authorize any continued hostilities involving U.S. forces in Venezuela. Sen. Kaine argued the administration had crossed a constitutional line: “Instead of responding to Americans’ concerns about the affordability crisis, President Trump started a war with Venezuela that is profoundly disrespectful to U.S. troops, deeply unpopular, suspiciously secretive and likely corrupt. How is that ‘America First?’ To my Senate colleagues: Enough is enough.”
Sen. Collins said in a statement: “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.” Sen Young warned that a long-term military role would contradict Trump’s stated aim of reducing U.S. involvement abroad, while Hawley said any deployment of troops into hostilities must be approved by Congress, and Sen. Paul echoed those concerns, saying, “But make no mistake, bombing another nation’s capital and removing their leader is an act of war, plain and simple. No provision in the Constitution provides such power to the presidency.” He later warned that failing to assert Congress’s role would leave the country “run by emergency.”
Republican leaders urged opposition to the measure. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming argued the Maduro operation amounted to law enforcement rather than war. “It does not make America stronger. It makes America weaker and less safe,” he said, contending the resolution would undermine the president’s constitutional authority.
The White House also strongly objected. A memo from the Office of Management and Budget stated that Maduro’s actions posed an ongoing threat to the United States and the region, and said that if the resolution reached the president’s desk, “his advisors would recommend that he veto” it. After the vote, Trump sharply criticized the GOP senators who sided with Democrats, writing on Truth Social that they “should never be elected to office again” and that the resolution “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief.” He also repeated his claim that the War Powers Act itself is unconstitutional.
The measure is expected to pass a final Senate vote next week but faces long odds of becoming law. It would still need approval from the House and the president’s signature, and it lacks the two-thirds support required to override a veto.
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