Topline
The House voted Thursday against a measure that sought to stop President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval, shooting down the latest attempt at reining in the president’s use of military power after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an armed operation this month.
Key Facts
The measure failed to pass the House in a 215-215 vote, with two Republicans crossing the aisle to support it.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Don Bacon, R- Neb., voted alongside Democrats for the tie, which is not enough for passage in the House.
The Senate rejected the war powers resolution last week in a tie vote broken by Vice President JD Vance.
If it had become a law, the president would have had to receive congressional approval for further operations in Venezuela, though Republicans on Thursday argued the U.S. was not at war with Venezuela and noted there were no U.S. troops in the country.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., noted the U.S. has maintained its military presence, namely aircraft carriers and destroyers, in the Caribbean.
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Chief Critic
“The executive’s military exercise to capture the leader of Venezuela represents one of the most blatant usurpations of congressional authority we have seen in modern times,” Massie told the House on Thursday. “If we ignore it, we are not merely acquiescing to executive overreach, we are rendering impotent our branch of government.”
Key Background
The Trump administration began carrying out military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean last year, conducting over two dozen strikes and killing at least 95 people in what the administration characterized as an anti-narcotics campaign. Democrats scrutinized the attacks, expressing concerns they may have constituted war crimes. The Trump administration deployed the most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. in the Caribbean as a show of force against Venezuela in November. By the next month, Trump said he was imposing a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” entering and exiting Venezuela, resulting in seizures of oil tankers that have continued into 2026. Early this month, the U.S. launched a strike across Venezuela’s capital as part of the operation to capture Maduro and his wife. At least 40 Venezuelan military members and civilians were killed in the strike, which also resulted in injuries to multiple U.S. service members. Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges in New York this month, with their next hearing scheduled for mid-March.
Further Reading
Senate Republicans Shoot Down Venezuela War Powers Resolution (Forbes)
Only 33% Of Americans Support Venezuela Attack That Captured Maduro, Poll Finds (Forbes)
