Senate Republicans Appear Unfazed by Trump’s Moves in Venezuela Ahead of War Powers Vote

Senate Republicans appear poised this week to reject a bipartisan war powers resolution despite President Donald Trump’s unilateral military action in Venezuela, with several GOP lawmakers suggesting the Trump administration did not need congressional approval to move forward with the operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro.

“Every president that I know of since the end of World War II has used military force without seeking Congress’ permission,” Sen. John Kennedy said Monday. “Every situation is different, so it’s hard to have one single prophylactic rule. Both the president and Congress have a role to play.”

When asked whether he thinks this military action will change any GOP votes this week on the resolution, Kennedy replied plainly: “No.”

Sen. Rand Paul, one of two Senate Republicans who has previously supported a war powers vote to block the use of force without congressional approval, acknowledged his Republican colleagues’ apparent apathy around the Venezuela mission, telling reporters, “All I can do is count for my vote.”

“When Obama was president, many of them were critical of the bombing of the air, the controlling the airspace over Libya,” Paul said of his Republican colleagues. “Many of them said that that was unconstitutional. And now they say bombing the capital in a country and removing the president is somehow not an act of war. And I don’t get it.”

Republican Sen. James Lankford said he doesn’t believe a war powers resolution is necessary in response to the Maduro operation and that the U.S. is “not declaring war on Venezuela.” He added that U.S. involvement does not rise to the level of war powers authority unless the U.S. intends to “occupy, dominate, control.”

Over the weekend, U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife in a surprise operation that the Trump administration said was part of a broader effort to bring him to the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges. Trump told reporters that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until a proper transition can take place.

Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said on Monday that the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela.

Trump dismissed concerns about bypassing Congress, saying he wouldn’t need congressional approval to send troops back into the country.

“We have good support congressionally,” he said. “And Congress knew what we were doing all along.”

The capture of Maduro capped off months of military buildup that had already alarmed Democrats and Paul. Since early fall, the U.S. has carried out dozens of lethal strikes on alleged drug boats, seized oil tankers and positioned a large naval force near Venezuela.

Trump has repeatedly floated regime change, talked openly about land strikes and moved forward without ever asking Congress for approval. The White House has argued the campaign falls within the president’s powers to target “narco-terrorists,” relying on a legal opinion that Democrats have called unconvincing.

Democrats tried to rein the president in before the holiday break, but their war powers push fell short in both chambers. The House came close to passing two resolutions last month to block Trump from expanding the mission without authorization, while a Senate version led by Sen. Tim Kaine and joined by Paul also failed, with just two Republicans — Paul himself and Sen. Lisa Murkowski — voting in favor.

At the time, most Republicans weren’t drawing clear red lines. Some said they supported the mission but wanted more details. Others dismissed the need for congressional approval entirely. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he saw no scenario — even an invasion — where Trump would need to come to Congress. Sen. Josh Hawley called ground troops a “traditional” marker for war but wouldn’t say it always requires a vote.

Republicans could still flip their votes as the week goes on ahead of a vote that will likely take place Thursday. Sen. Susan Collins did not vote for the previous war powers resolution but will be a highly watched vote moving forward. And Republicans broadly have questions about the Trump administration’s conduct and comments.

Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela turned heads on the Hill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters he’s “hoping to find out more” about what the president meant by the statement. When Thune was asked separately whether anyone had talked to him about the cost of running Venezuela, he simply said “no.”

Others said they suspect there will be questions about if and when Congress should have been notified. Sen. Mike Rounds, a national security hawk, said he thinks “one of the questions that will be asked by others will be, at what point does the Gang of Eight have a role to play in receiving advanced notice,” referring to the members of congressional leadership and heads of the intelligence committees in both parties.

Thune himself said he was “comfortable” with the amount of notification he received of the mission, telling reporters he thinks the “notification of Congress” ahead of critical or sensitive actions seems “ill-advised.”

A number of Republicans did note Monday that they would not support U.S. boots on the ground in Venezuela. Asked if the U.S. should put boots on the ground, Lankford responded: “It shouldn’t.”

Sen. Thom Tillis backed the operation to capture Maduro but he said he doesn’t support sending troops into Venezuela. “Boots on the ground suggest to me that you’re in a war posture,” he said.

“You’ve got Maduro out of power, which is a great thing,” Tillis said. “But it’s another thing to get in there and start almost a nation-building scenario in our hemisphere. Just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several briefings are expected on the Hill this week, with relevant committees especially seeking information on the attack.

With Trump floating other possible interventions in places like Greenland, a Danish territory he has repeatedly said the U.S. should own, the question of the president’s war powers could linger far beyond Venezuela. Kaine on Monday hinted that future legislative efforts to limit the president’s control could be en route.

“Just stay tuned,” Kaine said Monday evening. “Stay tuned. Venezuela is this week. And then stay tuned.”

But Republicans, for now, seem unfazed.

“It was time to take action,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis said. “It was bold action. I’m glad the president didn’t try to talk to Congress about it first because the jig would have been up and the mission would not have been successful, because this place leaks like a sieve.”