Senate rejects limiting Trump's ability to attack Venezuela
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Meta Description: The US Senate narrowly rejects a resolution to require congressional approval for any military strikes on Venezuela, with the vote falling short at 49–51.
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, left, leaves with Rep. Gabe Evans, right, after speaking with reporters at the Capitol in Washington on November 6, 2025. (AP)
The US Senate narrowly rejected a bipartisan resolution on Friday that would have required congressional approval before any US military strikes could be carried out in Venezuela.
The measure failed by a vote of 49–51, falling just short of the simple majority needed to pass.
"On this vote the yeas are 49, the nays 51, and the motion is not agreed to," the chair announced after the vote.
The resolution was introduced amid growing concerns over possible US military escalation in Latin America, particularly as tensions rise between Washington and Caracas.
Critics of the administration's stance argued the resolution was necessary to reassert congressional authority over war powers and prevent unilateral military action.
US officials say no legal grounds for strikes on Venezuela
Officials from the United States government informed the US Congress that there is no legal basis for authorizing strikes inside Venezuela, according to a report by CNN on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The assessment was delivered during a closed-door briefing involving key figures from the Trump administration, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and a representative from the White House’s Office of Legal Counsel.
According to the report, the officials made it clear that the administration has no current plans to launch military operations on Venezuelan territory, citing a lack of legal justification for such actions.
This briefing comes amid ongoing speculation about the United States' stance toward Venezuela and concerns over potential military escalations in the Caribbean region.
