Democrats Push War Powers Fight as Trump Tightens Grip on Venezuela Crisis
Sen. Tim Kaine is now predicting that more Republican senators may soon break ranks and join Democrats in an effort to block President Donald Trump from taking military action against Venezuela—setting up a potential showdown in Washington as tensions rise in the region.
Kaine, a longtime critic of Trump’s foreign-policy strength, told CBS’s Face the Nation that he believes GOP defections could increase if the situation escalates.
“I do believe the numbers will change,” Kaine claimed, arguing that Republicans may support a new resolution restricting Trump’s ability to act against the Maduro regime. His earlier War Powers resolution failed, but he insists circumstances have changed now that U.S. military assets are positioned around Venezuela and President Trump has ordered the nation’s airspace treated as closed.
Democrats Prepare Another Attempt to Restrain Trump
Kaine says he is ready to reintroduce a War Powers Act resolution alongside Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff, and Republican Sen. Rand Paul—one of the few GOP lawmakers who routinely aligns with Democrats on limiting executive power.
The War Powers Act of 1973 allows Congress to curb the president’s use of military force abroad without direct approval. Democrats now hope to use it as a tool to slow Trump’s expanding counter-narcotics mission in the Caribbean.
Kaine also hinted that new accusations from the media against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth could sway more Republicans. Critics argue these reports are politically motivated and designed to undermine Trump’s strong national-security posture.
Earlier this year, Kaine’s effort failed 49–51, with Sens. Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski being the only GOP members to defect.
Trump’s Strategy: Crushing Cartels and Confronting Maduro
The Trump administration has escalated pressure on Venezuela in recent months, focusing on:
- Precision strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels
- Expanded military presence in the Caribbean
- A $50 million bounty for dictator Nicolás Maduro
- Deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group
- Operation Southern Spear, targeting violent cartels fueling instability across the Western Hemisphere
The operation includes 70 aircraft, nine carrier air wings, and 11 Navy ships—one of the most powerful anti-narco efforts in modern history.
Media Claims Spark Political Firestorm
Kaine’s renewed push follows a controversial Washington Post story accusing Secretary Pete Hegseth of verbally instructing forces to “kill everybody” during a strike on a suspected narcotics vessel. The report alleges a second strike occurred after survivors were seen clinging to debris.
Hegseth fired back immediately, calling the article “fabricated” and “inflammatory,” and accusing the media of trying to sabotage U.S. special operators defending America’s borders.
“Every trafficker we eliminate is tied to a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Biden coddled terrorists—we take them off the battlefield. Our operations comply with U.S. and international law.”
Democrats Raise War Crime Claims—Again
Democratic lawmakers quickly seized on the story, with Kaine and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly suggesting that if the media report is accurate, it could amount to a war-crime violation. Kelly, while praising the professionalism of Navy SEALs, said he was “troubled” by what he heard.
Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have now opened reviews into the administration’s actions—reviews that conservatives warn could be politically weaponized.