The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation that would have required approval from Congress before President Donald Trump could take military action against Venezuela, despite bipartisan misgivings about the administration’s secretive efforts in the region. Just two Republicans broke ranks to oppose Trump. The 49-51 vote is the second failed bid in a month to rein in the U.S. military campaign against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in Latin America that has led to the deaths of nearly 70 people. War powers skeptics made no headway from their last push. The same two Republicans supported this resolution that voted for a similar one last month calling for a halt to Trump’s boat strikes. This measure focused on preventing future operations “within or against” Venezuela and reflected concerns that Trump’s offensive against cartels could spiral into a military confrontation with the South American nation. The measure’s lead sponsor, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) argued that the administration’s legal rationale for the boat strikes rests on an expansive view of presidential powers “that has no support in the Constitution” and would be “extremely flimsy” if applied to Venezuela. “You have to force Congress … to look in the mirror and confront the question of, are these policies good or bad, am I going to exercise our war power or abdicate and hand it away,” Kaine told reporters. Administration officials, in an apparent bid to keep Republicans on board, briefed top lawmakers ahead of the vote on the legal rationale for the recent strikes. Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a cosponsor of the resolution, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both supported the previous war powers measure. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, the lone Democrat to oppose last month’s war powers measure, flipped and voted with his party this time. The vote wasn’t without suspense. Three Republicans who’d been on the fence — Murkowski and Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana — held off on casting their votes, discussing the issue with each other, fellow senators and staff on the floor. Collins eventually cast her vote against the resolution, giving opponents the decisive 50th vote to defeat it, followed by Young. Republicans who opposed the measure argued the administration has the legal authority to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the U.S. And they said an invasion of Venezuela wasn’t in the offing, despite a massive military buildup of ships, aircraft and military personnel in the Caribbean that could pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to leave power. Trump last month floated the possibility of strikes on land against Venezuelan drug gangs and has authorized covert CIA operations in the country. The U.S. military buildup in the region will soon include the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which is relocating from the Mediterranean Sea. Some Trump allies endorsed an even more muscular legal posture. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a top defense hawk, argued Congress can’t “substitute our judgment” for the president’s and called for the U.S. to go after “the problem on the land” in Venezuela to tackle drug smuggling. “I would say that Venezuela, in the hands of Maduro, is an existential threat to the people of the United States,” Graham said. “It needs to stop, and whatever power that President Trump would like to use to stop that, I think he has the authority under the Constitution.” While enough GOP senators remained united to defeat the measure, bipartisan frustration has increased over the administration’s lack of explanation to Congress. The White House, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stepped up outreach to congressional leaders in recent days, and shared a classified Justice Department legal justification for the strikes. The measure was unlikely to gain traction if it passed as Trump almost certainly would veto it. This may have prevented some senators from supporting it. “I’m sympathetic, but they’re all messaging bills,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries both said lawmakers need more details. They have demanded that the administration brief all members of Congress.

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