January 16, 2026 | 12:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The US Senate on Wednesday voted 51–50 to block a bipartisan resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to use military force in Venezuela.
The move followed strong pressure from the White House that led two Republican senators to reverse their positions.
After Senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young withdrew their support, the vote ended in a 50–50 deadlock. Vice President JD Vance then cast the tie-breaking vote on a procedural motion, effectively halting the resolution.
The measure would have required President Trump to seek congressional approval before carrying out any further military action in the oil-rich South American country.
Young told CNN that he “has received assurances that there are no American troops in Venezuela” from the Trump administration regarding the US role in the country.
He added that the White House had committed to appearing before Congress and seeking approval prior to any “major military operations,” adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this month.
Hawley made similar remarks, saying Rubio had assured him that no US ground troops would be deployed to Venezuela and that congressional authorization would be sought if the situation were to escalate.
The resolution was introduced following a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Last week, the Senate passed a separate war authorization measure by a 52–47 vote, reflecting deep divisions within the chamber.
President Trump publicly criticized five Republican senators who joined Democrats in supporting the resolution, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”
According to US media reports, Trump also personally contacted several of those lawmakers to express his disappointment with their votes.
Read: Venezuela: Could Machado be the Big Loser in the Power Game?
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