The U.S. Senate took a significant step on Thursday toward restricting President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Venezuela without congressional approval, marking a rare show of opposition to the Republican leader.
A procedural vote to advance the war powers resolution passed 52 to 47, with five Republican senators joining all Democrats in support. One Republican senator did not vote.
The vote comes days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a dramatic military raid in Caracas. It followed briefings from senior cabinet members to all members of Congress about the administration’s Venezuela policy, reflecting a shift in the Senate’s approach.
Lawmakers supporting the resolution emphasized that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to send troops to war. However, the measure faces steep hurdles before becoming law. Even if it passes the Senate, it must also clear the Republican-led House of Representatives and secure two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome an expected Trump veto.
Trump’s allies in the Senate had blocked two previous attempts last year to advance similar resolutions, during a period of increasing military pressure on Venezuela, including attacks on boats in the southern Caribbean and eastern Pacific. In November, a resolution was narrowly blocked 51‑49, after senior Trump advisors assured lawmakers that the administration did not intend to change Venezuela’s government or conduct strikes on its territory.
Following Maduro’s capture, some lawmakers accused the administration of misleading Congress, with concerns expressed by Democrats publicly and some Republicans privately. The episode, along with Trump’s rhetoric, has also raised questions about possible military action involving Greenland, an Arctic territory of Denmark, or against Colombia, Cuba, or Iran.
Thursday’s vote now clears the way for full Senate debate and a vote on the resolution’s final passage next week.