US Senate Narrowly Blocks Effort to Restrict War Powers

U.S. Senate Republicans voted 51-50 on Wednesday against a war powers resolution that would have restrained President Donald Trump from further use of military force in Venezuela without congressional authorization, after the president put pressure on fellow Republicans who had supported the measure.

Last week, Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Democrats in voting to pass the resolution, which would require President Trump to seek Congress's approval before continuing strikes in Venezuela.

In response, President Trump attacked and pressured the two senators, leading to their positions flipping and falling in line with the majority of Senate Republicans to get rid of the “privilege” under the resolution.

Additionally, President Trump lashed out at three other Republican senators who agreed with Democrats on the matter, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”

The vote was 50-50 for the resolution, as three of the five Republican senators remained firm on the resolution. Vice President JD cast the tiebreaking vote, leading to the resolution’s failure to pass.

As expected, 47 Democratic senators and Republican Senators Rand Paul, R-Ky., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted to block the President’s ability to act without authorization. The effort appeared to be on pace to pass the previous week.

Sen. Hawley explained that the reason he changed his stance came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent him a letter assuring the senator that there are no U.S. ground troops in Venezuela. Secretary Rubio added that if the administration aimed to deploy ground troops, that “they would come to Congress for congressional authorization.”

Sen. Young also addressed his decision change, stating that “After numerous conversations with senior national security officials, I have received assurances that there are no American troops in Venezuela. I’ve also received a commitment that if President Trump were to determine American forces are needed in major military operations in Venezuela, the Administration will come to Congress in advance to ask for an authorization of force.”