A tense vote in Washington has deepened concerns about the United States inching closer to military confrontation with Venezuela. On Thursday, Senate Republicans defeated legislation that would have required President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before launching any military strike on the country.
The bill failed narrowly, 51&ndash;49, despite two Republicans breaking ranks to support it. &ldquo;We should not be going to war without a vote of Congress,&rdquo; said Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, warning that the Constitution&rsquo;s checks and balances were being eroded at a moment of escalating military activity in the region.
The vote followed weeks of rising tension in the Caribbean, where thousands of US troops, a nuclear submarine, and the warships escorting the USS Gerald R Ford have been deployed. A series of deadly strikes on vessels off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia which killed at least 65 people has already drawn international criticism. While the US claims the boats were smuggling narcotics, families of victims, legal experts, and Latin American leaders insist many of the dead were fishermen, calling the attacks &ldquo;extrajudicial killings.&rdquo;
Fears of a full-scale strike intensified after US B-52 bombers were spotted flying parallel to Venezuela&rsquo;s coastline on Thursday, marking the fourth such show of force since mid-October. Critics in Congress say the administration&rsquo;s real objective is political. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really an open secret that this is much more about potential regime change,&rdquo; said Congressman Adam Schiff. &ldquo;If that&rsquo;s where the administration is headed then Congress needs to be heard on this.&rdquo;
Yet public support for military action is strikingly low. A recent YouGov poll shows only 18% of Americans back even limited force to remove President Nicol&aacute;s Maduro, while nearly three-quarters of respondents believe the president must obtain congressional approval before any foreign strike.
Still, most Republican lawmakers continue to endorse Trump&rsquo;s approach. &ldquo;President Trump has taken decisive action to protect thousands of Americans from lethal narcotics,&rdquo; said Senator Jim Risch, praising the recent operations.
Ironically, Trump campaigned on ending America&rsquo;s foreign entanglements. Now, critics say, the Senate vote has left the door open for a conflict that many in the US and across the region firmly oppose.

US Senate Blocks Bid to Limit Trump on Venezuela

Senate rejects move to curb Trump’s war powers as fears of a strike on Venezuela grow

US Senate Blocks Bid to Limit Trump on Venezuela

Senate rejects move to curb Trump’s war powers as fears of a strike on Venezuela grow

November 7, 2025 | 17:39 IST