House Votes Down Efforts to Limit Trump’s Powers as He Escalates Pressure on Venezuela

Two efforts by House Democrats to rein in President Donald Trump’s expanding military campaign in the Western Hemisphere failed Wednesday, allowing the president to continue escalating operations in Venezuela and alleged “narco-terrorist” networks without approval from Congress.

The House voted down two War Powers Resolutions: one from Rep. Gregory Meeks to rein in Trump’s counterdrug trafficking campaign in the Western Hemisphere that failed by a margin of 210-216, and a second measure from Rep. Jim McGovern to limit any U.S. military hostilities in or against Venezuela, which failed 211-213.

Just three Republicans voted for McGovern’s measure: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Don Bacon.

“I’m deeply troubled that the president of United States, in my view, is slowly but surely marching us toward open hostility with Venezuela,” McGovern said on the House floor ahead of the vote. “I say it as an American who is worried about this country getting dragged into another potentially endless war.”

The failed votes leave the administration’s strategy unchanged as Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela through a large military buildup near its coast, the seizure of an oil tanker and a newly announced blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan vessels. The president also formally designated Venezuela’s government as a foreign terrorist organization, while the administration has vowed to continue its strikes on boats it says are smuggling drugs over the concerns of critics who say the killings are extrajudicial.

“If this was really about drugs, why are the United States forces seizing oil tankers?” Meeks said during the floor debate before the vote. ”The stated mission, the scale of the buildup and the actions taken simply do not align. The administration can’t keep its story straight, and it is no longer trying to hide its real motivations.”

Had either measure passed, it would have forced the administration to begin winding down military operations unless Congress voted to back them. Instead, their failure keeps Trump’s campaign on its current footing and leaves Congress with limited leverage.

Senate Democrats have already tried and failed to force votes on similar war powers resolutions, underscoring how hard it has been to build bipartisan support to rein in Trump’s use of military force.

Sen. Tim Kaine and Sen. Ruben Gallego introduced new war powers measures, but neither has been scheduled for a vote.

The administration, meanwhile, has continued to press forward. U.S. forces have carried out repeated strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, actions officials say have reduced trafficking routes and disrupted cartel operations. More than 90 people have been killed in these strikes since early September.

The United States has seized at least one tanker carrying Venezuelan crude, and Trump this week ordered what he described as a “complete and total” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers moving to and from the country.

Trump has also expanded the administration’s legal posture by classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, a designation that could further broaden the White House’s asserted authority to use military force against drug networks and governments accused of backing them.

House Republicans largely brushed aside the House war powers efforts, arguing the president has the power to target transnational criminal groups that pose a threat to the United States.

Several Republican lawmakers said the resolutions were premature because the administration maintains it has not yet authorized ground combat operations inside Venezuela, although they have reportedly been discussed.

“President Trump has the authority and obligation to take limited, targeted action to protect the United States of America wherever those threats emanate from,” Brian Mast said on the House floor ahead of the vote.

The votes come against the backdrop of a growing dispute over a Sept. 2 “double-tap” strike that killed two survivors clinging to the wreckage of a boat that officials said was carrying drugs.

Adm. Frank Bradley, who was the on-scene commander for the Sept. 2 strike, briefed the House and Senate Armed Services Committee members and other relevant committees on the incident. As with other briefings, Democrats said afterward that it only raised more questions and called for a full video to be released.

“The only way this problem gets resolved is to make it public, like everyone see it,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren told reporters Wednesday after watching the video for the first time during the briefing. “There’s nothing there that the American public should not be able to see other than the possibility of accountability for the people who made this decision.”

Kaine said Wednesday that there is no classification barrier to releasing the footage, arguing that if the Pentagon was able to make public video of the initial strike, it could do the same for the second.

“There is no difference between the video of the second strike then the video of the first strike, which has been released, with respect to sources and methods,” Kaine said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the department does not plan to release the full, unedited video.

Republicans who have viewed the footage have largely defended the strike, arguing that the survivors were attempting to continue their mission by flipping the boat back over, making them legitimate targets.

“The Democrats ought to be ashamed of themselves by trying to slander Adm. Bradley, who was executing a lawful order,” Sen. Eric Schmitt told reporters.