WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Senate on Thursday advanced a resolution blocking Donald Trump’s ability to use further military force against Venezuela without the approval of Congress, rebuking an emboldened president who has continued to threaten action against other Latin American countries and even Greenland, an autonomous territory of a U.S. ally.
Five Republicans joined all Democrats in support of the measure: Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), Sen. Todd Young (Ind.), and Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.).
The effort to curtail Trump’s powers followed the extraordinary U.S. bombardment of Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolàs Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on charges of “narco-terrorism.” The Trump administration has called the action a law enforcement operation despite the fact that it killed over 80 people, and many Republican lawmakers have insisted that Trump had authority to order the mission without the approval or notification of Congress ahead of time.
But critics of the administration noted the U.S. Constitution is clear that Congress must first declare war before the president can deploy the use of force.
“Less than courageous members of Congress fall all over themselves to avoid taking responsibility, to avoid the momentous vote of declaring war,” Paul said. “But make no mistake, bombing another nation’s capital and removing their leader is an act of war, plain and simple. No provision in the Constitution provides such power to the presidency.”
