The House on Wednesday rejected Democrat-backed resolutions to stop the Trump administration from using military force against Venezuela and drug cartels.
At least 95 people have been killed in airstrikes on Venezuelan boats suspected of carrying illegal narcotics into the United States and other countries. The vote comes amid debate over whether the president has the authority to approve these airstrikes.
From The Associated Press:
House Republicans rejected a pair of Democratic-backed resolutions Wednesday that would have put a check on President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels and the nation of Venezuela.
Democrats forced the votes using war powers resolutions as Trump has stepped up his threats against the South American nation and Congress has questioned how the U.S. military is conducting a campaign that has destroyed 26 vessels allegedly carrying drugs and killed at least 99 people, including an attack Wednesday. The legislation would have forced the Trump administration to seek authorization from Congress before continuing attacks against cartels that it deems to be terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere or launching an attack on Venezuela itself.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued that Trump’s aggressions in the region were really because “the president is coveting Venezuelan oil.”
They were the first votes in the House on Trump’s military campaign in Central and South America. A majority of Republicans in the Senate had previously voted against similar resolutions, and Trump would almost certainly veto them if they were to pass Congress. But Democrats forced the votes as a way to bring up a debate about the military campaign and force Republicans to go on the record about supporting it.
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The Venezuela War Powers resolution has failed in a vote of 211-213, with nine members not voting. An absolute dereliction of duty from Congress. pic.twitter.com/vHf2sXoYfO
— Dave DeCamp (@DecampDave) December 17, 2025
If the House had passed the measure, it would have ordered President Donald Trump to pull U.S. military forces out of any operations “within or against” Venezuela that Congress had not approved. It would have stopped the president from continuing the airstrikes without congressional authorization.
🇺🇸🇻🇪 Congressman Thomas Massie:
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) December 18, 2025
'Do we truly believe that Nicolás Maduro will be replaced by a modern day George Washington? How did that work out in Cuba, Libya, Iraq or Syria?
Previous presidents told us to go to war over weapons of mass destruction that did not exist.
Now… pic.twitter.com/YVOdW6jFsD
The Trump administration defended its actions against the Venezuelan boats, stating that it has the power to destroy them just as it would take action against terrorist threats.
Trump has taken a harder line against Venezuela in recent months, using military and economic pressure to bring about the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He recently ordered a naval blockade to curtail drug boats and oil tankers from moving through the region. During a recent interview, Trump said Maduro’s “days are numbered.”
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