Trump prevails in US Senate showdown over Venezuela war powers
A 51–50 vote kills war powers resolution after Trump pressure flips two key Republican defectors
US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to unify his party behind his takeover of Venezuela succeeded Wednesday when all but three Senate Republicans voted to block a resolution opposing further military action in the country.
US Vice-President J.D. Vance broke a tie vote in order to stop the resolution.
The 51-50 vote followed fiery phone calls from Trump to Republican defectors who last week voted to advance the resolution. Trump’s success in flipping votes effectively ends one of the most high-profile bids to check his executive power since he returned to office a year ago.
The legislation was not expected to become law, as Trump had said he would veto it. But the decision of two Republican senators to switch their positions in just days shows the political peril for Republicans in maintaining opposition to Trump’s military ambitions.
Senate Republicans blocked the measure on procedural grounds, contending that the war powers resolution should be sidelined because the US is not engaged in ongoing hostilities.