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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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The Senate on Thursday advanced a resolution to curb President Donald Trump’s authority to launch further attacks on Venezuela, signaling disapproval of his growing ambitions in the Western Hemisphere.
Democrats and five Republicans voted 52-47 to advance the War Powers Resolution, setting up a later vote on final passage. The measure is unlikely to become law because it would need to pass the House and be signed by Trump. Still, the vote signaled unease among some Republicans after U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid on Saturday.
The Republicans were Josh Hawley of Missouri, Susan Collins of Maine, Todd Young of Indiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
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Why It Matters
Some Republican members of Congress have become increasingly uncomfortable with the president's ambitions abroad, with a number speaking out against actions in Venezuela, as well as threats to take over Greenland. Using the War Powers Act is an attempt to curb further U.S. military action, even as the White House has repeatedly said that congressional approval is not necessarily needed.
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What To Know
In previous months, Democrats failed to pass several such resolutions as the Trump administration escalated its campaign against Venezuela with deadly strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. After Maduro was captured and attention turned to Greenland, lawmakers argued that now was the time to try again.
While Republican leaders have backed Trump, some senators and representatives have voiced their concerns about the U.S. overreaching and causing strain with key allies, including fellow NATO members, especially if military action is the route taken.
Before Thursday's vote on the resolution, several Republican senators said they were carefully considering their decision, including Thom Tillis of North Carolina, though he ultimately voted against it. He did say he would not support U.S. troops on the ground in Venezuela if there was no congressional approval.
What Is the War Powers Act?
The U.S. Constitution states that Congress, not the president, has the power to declare war, but such a declaration has not been made since World War II.
The War Powers Act, or War Powers Resolution, is intended to check the president's power to send the U.S. into armed conflict without congressional approval.
Since 1973, at least 168 reports have been filed with Congress by presidents following military operations conducted without their approval, another requirement of the act. The act itself has not stopped any military operations, however.
Why Was Maduro Captured?
The Trump administration has said that Maduro was captured over his alleged links to drug trafficking into the U.S. Trump and other officials have repeatedly alleged he leads or coordinates transnational criminal gangs responsible for sending drugs and dangerous criminals to the U.S.
Maduro was indicted in New York on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the United States.
Skeptics have said the U.S. government made the move because it wants a regime change in Venezuela in order to gain control of the country's vast natural resources, particularly oil.
How Much Oil Does Venezuela Have?
Venezuela holds some of the world's largest oil reserves, but Trump has argued that they are underutilized.
Despite possessing an estimated 303 billion barrels of oil, Venezuela’s ability to leverage these reserves is constrained by political instability, U.S. sanctions, and the technological complexity of extracting heavy crude, which is harder to access than most crude grades and requires a longer, more expensive refining process.
OPEC, of which Venezuela is a current and founding member, enables cooperation among leading oil-producing and oil-dependent countries to stabilize supplies and maximize profits.
However, Venezuela's immense natural resource has not translated into economic prosperity or global energy dominance.
What People Are Saying
Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, on X: "With regard to Venezuela, my read of the Constitution is that if the President feels the need to put boots on the ground there in the future, Congress would need to vote on it. That’s why I voted yes on this morning’s Senate resolution."
Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, on X: "With Maduro rightfully captured, the circumstances have now changed. While I support the operation to seize Nicolas Maduro, which was extraordinary in its precision and complexity, I do not support committing additional U.S. forces or entering into any long-term military involvement in Venezuela or Greenland without specific congressional authorization."
President Donald Trump, on Truth Social: "Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again. This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief.
"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. Nevertheless, a more important Senate Vote will be taking place next week on this very subject."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly previously told Newsweek: "The Biden administration and over 60 countries recognized Maduro's rule as illegitimate, but only this President had the courage to hold him accountable for his crimes of killing countless Americans with illicit narcotics."
Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, in a statement: “I believe the arrest of Maduro was a positive development for Venezuela and its people. I salute our incredible military for their precise execution. I voted AYE on this resolution to discharge it from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee so we can continue this important debate on the floor of the Senate.”
What Happens Next
The White House has said it is looking to work with Venezuela to manage the country following Maduro's capture. Military action is not off the table in Greenland or elsewhere, as the president seeks to assert U.S. dominance.
Update 1/8/26, 12:51 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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