Senate Blocks Bid to Curb Trump’s War Powers on Venezuela

Overview

• The chamber rejected the bipartisan war-powers measure 51–49, with Republicans Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats.
• In a classified briefing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and an OLC official told lawmakers the current authority covers only maritime targets and that no attack inside Venezuela is planned.
• The White House is seeking additional Justice Department guidance that could expand authority for strikes on Venezuelan territory, though officials say no decision has been made.
• U.S. forces have conducted at least 16 lethal actions against suspected smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, reportedly killing about 65 people, with scant public evidence offered.
• The Pentagon has reinforced the region with the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to support counter‑narcotics operations, as members of both parties press for more transparency on objectives and legal justifications.