United States: Senate Curbs Trump's Military Ambitions in Venezuela

In a rare rebuke of the Trump administration, the U.S. Senate on Thursday, January 8, 2026, adopted a war powers resolution aimed at preventing the President of the United States from using armed forces against Venezuela without prior congressional authorization.

The resolution was narrowly adopted by 52 votes to 47, with the required threshold being 51 votes. All Democratic senators voted in favor of the text, joined by five Republicans: Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Todd Young, Susan Collins, and Josh Hawley.

The text limits the president's ability to engage in or continue military hostilities in Venezuela without the explicit approval of the legislative branch, thereby reaffirming Congress's constitutional role in declaring war. However, the resolution must still be considered by the House of Representatives before being sent to the White House.

Even if finally adopted by Congress, its future remains uncertain. The Senate does not have the two-thirds supermajority needed to override a potential presidential veto, and Donald Trump has already indicated he would oppose the text.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, initiated the measure. He demanded a swift vote after Donald Trump announced a large-scale U.S. military offensive in Venezuela, an operation that would have led to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Both have been indicted in the United States, notably for narcoterrorism and cocaine trafficking, and have pleaded not guilty.

In a statement, Tim Kaine warned against an uncontrolled extension of the executive's use of military force, stating that it was « high time for Congress to reassert its essential constitutional role in matters of war, peace, diplomacy, and commerce ».

The White House firmly opposes the resolution. According to a note from the Office of Management and Budget obtained by ABC News, the administration believes that Maduro's actions represent a direct threat to the United States and the stability of the Western Hemisphere. The document specifies that, should the resolution reach the president, his advisors would recommend he veto it.

Donald Trump sharply criticized the Republican senators who supported the text, arguing that the resolution « hinders American self-defense » and undermines his authority as commander-in-chief. He asserted that the United States was not at war with Venezuela, calling the intervention a simple law enforcement operation, while also declaring that Washington would « direct » the country for an indefinite period.

Some Republicans who favored the resolution nevertheless emphasized that they supported the initial operation against Maduro, while rejecting any prolonged military involvement without congressional authorization.