Senate Bid to Limit Trump‘s Military action in Venezuela Fails
WASHINGTON – Aโ bipartisan effort in the U.S.โค Senate โฃto requireโ congressional approvalโ before any military action against Venezuela failed on Thursday,highlighting a growing debate over presidential authorityโข in modern warfare. The resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 90 (SJRes.90),โข was aimedโค at preventingโ former President Donald Trumpโฃ fromโ initiating hostilities โฃwith Venezuela without explicit authorization โfrom congress.
The failed resolution underscores a deepening โฃfracture in Washington regarding the โlimits of presidentialโ power in military affairs and Congress’s โoversight roleโ in an era of long-distance drone warfare. Proponents โargued that the Trump management’s consideration of military options, particularly those utilizing drones, did not necessitate a formal declarationโข of war but still warranted congressional consultation. Opponents countered that the presidentโ possesses the constitutional authority to protect U.S. interests without seekingโข prior legislative approval, even in theโค context of drone strikes.
Senatorsโ Tim Kaine and Rand paul spearheaded the effort, arguing โฃthat theโฃ potential for military intervention, even through โremote means, โdemanded congressional oversight.They characterized the administration’s justification – that drone strikes doโ not constitute “hostilities” โrequiring congressional authorization – as “arbitrary and hazardous.”
This wasn’t the first attempt by Kaine and Paul to assert congressional authority. Aโข similar resolution seeking to halt bombing ships in โคtheโ Caribbean was blocked byโค Republicans in october. The thursday vote was viewed by โขSJRes. 90’s supporters asโ a crucial โtest of Congress’s โwillingness to check executive power.
Signatory organizations to the resolutionโฃ warned thatโฃ “future generations will remember who opposed โan needless โwar and who helpedโ pave โขthe way for it,” framing the vote as a โฃdefiningโ moment in theโ debate over war powers.
The outcome of theโข voteโค signals continued resistance to limiting presidential โคdiscretionโ inโฃ military โmatters, despite growing concerns โฃabout the scope of executive authority in the age of modern warfare.