Political fallout is expected as some ruling Republicans sided with an opposition Democratic-led bill seeking to restrict U.S. President Donald Trump's additional military operations against Venezuela.
On the 8th (local time), according to U.S. political outlet Politico and others, the U.S. Senate put to a vote a motion to bring the "war powers resolution" to the floor, approving it 52-47.
The Senate (100 seats total) is currently controlled by Republicans with 53 seats, but in the vote that day, five Republican senators, including co-sponsor Rand Paul (Ky.), as well as Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Todd Young (Ind.), and Josh Hawley (Mo.), cast votes in favor.
The bill, co-sponsored by three Democratic senators including Floor Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Paul, mainly prohibits additional hostile acts by U.S. forces against Venezuela without explicit congressional approval. If the resolution passes the Senate floor next week, it will move to the House, and if it passes there as well, only the president's signature will remain.
The resolution's provision that congressional approval is required to wage war against a foreign country under the Constitution conflicts with the Trump administration's position that the military operation against Venezuela on the 3rd was law enforcement against "drug terrorist" Nicolás Maduro. To avoid controversy over bypassing Congress, President Trump has argued after the arrest and transfer of President Maduro that "the United States is not at war with Venezuela."
Trump was enraged by Republicans' "rebel votes." Shortly after the Senate vote, he wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, saying, "Republicans should be ashamed of the senators who just voted with the Democrats to take away the right to fight for America and to defend America," adding, "This vote greatly undermines America's self-defense and national security, and obstructs the president's authority as commander in chief."
He also said the five Republican senators who voted in favor "should never be elected to public office again."