U.S. Senate Blocks Bid to Limit Trump’s Military Powers against Venezuela
ANGLO AMERICA, 19 Jan 2026
teleSUR - TRANSCEND Media Service
A narrowly divided US Senate rejected a War Powers resolution that would have constrained President Donald Trump’s authority to launch new military actions in Venezuela, with Vice President JD Vance casting a decisive tie-breaking vote.
15 Jan 2026 – The U.S. Senate on Wednesday, January 14, blocked a resolution aimed at preventing President Donald Trump from launching new military actions in Venezuela without congressional authorization, after sustained pressure from the White House on Republican lawmakers.
The measure failed by a 51–50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote in favor of the executive.
The initiative, introduced under the War Powers Resolution, followed the January 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores, which triggered concern among some legislators and segments of U.S. public opinion over the scope of presidential authority to use force abroad.
Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress holds the exclusive power to declare war, though presidents have historically expanded their freedom to conduct overseas military actions. The proposed resolution sought to reassert congressional oversight in the context of the imperialist agression to Venezuela.
Only three Republican senators -Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine- joined all Democrats in voting to advance consideration of the measure. Two Republicans who had initially supported it, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana, reversed their positions after what were described as tense exchanges with Trump. The outcome underscored the president’s continued influence within his party and highlighted internal Republican divisions over foreign policy.
The vote carried broader political significance beyond Venezuela, as it occurred amid Trump’s repeated threats to use military force to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Danish officials said after meetings with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that a “fundamental disagreement” remains regarding the island’s future.
Several senators, including Hawley, said that the decision not to restrict presidential war powers was shaped by assurances from Rubio that the deployment of U.S. ground troops in Venezuela was not under consideration.
Although the resolution faced long odds of becoming law, as it would have required Trump’s approval, the vote served as a measure of party discipline and of how much discretion Congress is prepared to grant the president on the use of force. It also exposed the Republicans’ narrow margin in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of Representatives have introduced a parallel resolution and could force a vote as early as next week, keeping the debate over constitutional limits on executive power in foreign policy active.
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