- The US Senate approved a proposal to limit the military powers of the president.
- Five Republicans supported Democrats in the vote.
- The resolution requires congressional approval for further actions in Venezuela.
The Senate of the US Congress on Thursday approved a draft resolution in a procedural vote of 52 to 47 that requires President Donald Trump to ask Congress for approval for further military operations against Venezuela. The 47 opposition Democrats were joined by five Republicans, which Trump criticized in a post on his Truth Social platform, reports TASR with reference to the AFP and DPA agencies and NBC News television.
The resolution will be put to a final vote next week and is expected to pass again. A simple majority of votes is enough for its approval. However, it will almost certainly not become law, as it would still have to be approved by a majority in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and subsequently signed by Trump himself.
A proposal by Democrats with support from Republicans
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine introduced the resolution, joined by Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, California Democrat Adam Schiff and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“American troops must not be deployed to secure another country’s oil resources for the benefit of American business leaders or for other purposes not approved by Congress,” Democratic Senator Adam Schiff argued for the draft resolution.
Trump’s sharp criticism
“Republicans should be ashamed of the senators who just voted with Democrats to try to take away our authority to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowska, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley and Todd Young should never be elected again,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform. He added that the resolution significantly undermines US self-defense and national security and limits his authority as commander-in-chief.
The United States intervened in Venezuela
The United States attacked Venezuela on Saturday and kidnapped its president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Both were taken by special forces to the USA, where they are awaiting trial. Former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez became the interim president of Venezuela, who Washington requires to follow the instructions of the Trump administration.
Trump’s oil interests
In an interview published Thursday, Trump said the United States could run Venezuela for several years and exploit its oil reserves.
In the past century, only one resolution of the US Congress has imposed a broad and permanent limitation on the president’s unilateral military action: the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which passed over the veto of then-President Richard Nixon.
