President Donald Trump attacked the Republicans who voted this Thursday along with the Democrats in favor of a resolution that requires him to rescind any military threat against Venezuela that has not been approved by Congress, in one of the Republican Party’s clearest criticisms of its operations in that country.
Key data
Trump stated in a post on Truth Social that the five Republicans who voted in favor of the measure — Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) — “should not be re-elected to any office.”
He stated that the resolution “seriously hinders American self-defense and national security, impeding the president’s authority as Commander in Chief,” calling it “unconstitutional.”
The Senate voted 52 to 47 in favor of moving the legislation to the floor for a formal vote, days after the US military carried out a series of attacks on Saturday and captured President Nicolás Maduro.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., sponsored the resolution and called for a new vote following Saturday’s military action in Venezuela.
If the Senate gives final approval to the measure, it must be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by Trump, who appears unlikely to sign it into law.
Crucial ideals
“I believe that invoking the War Powers Act at this time is necessary, given the president’s comments about the possibility of a deployment of troops on the ground and a sustained commitment to control Venezuela, with which I do not agree,” Collins said in a statement.
More context: Senate approves resolution to try to block new Trump incursions into Venezuela
Main criticism
Senate Majority Leader John Barrasso, R-Wyo., sharply criticized the resolution in a statement, saying it would “weaken the president’s legitimate constitutional authority.”
He claimed that the Senate was being “asked whether the president of the United States has the authority to arrest accused criminals,” repeating the description some Republicans gave of Maduro’s capture.
Maduro was formally charged in 2020 with drug trafficking and was reinstated, along with his wife, on the same charges this week. Both pleaded not guilty.
What to take into account
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said he was considering a similar resolution that would limit Trump’s military capabilities in Greenland without congressional approval, after the Trump administration doubled down on threats in recent days to use military powers to take Greenland. A major coalition of Republicans, including congressional leaders, opposed the use of military force to take Greenland.
Key context
Republican support for the resolution is one of the clearest criticisms of Trump’s actions in Venezuela within the Republican Party. Some party members expressed skepticism about their alleged takeover of the country following Saturday’s military operations, including Young and Paul, raising questions about the administration’s justification for carrying out the attacks without congressional authorization.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for example, initially said he had reservations about what, if any, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force. However, he later declared himself satisfied with the government’s claims that it captured Maduro so he could face charges for crimes charged in 2020.
Critics of the operation dismissed that justification after Trump clarified that it was also an attempt to take control of Venezuela’s oil supply. His government is characterized by the oil “quarantine” as an “influence” to force reforms in Venezuela.
This article was originally published in Forbes US
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