GOP senators break with Trump to rein in use of military without Congress’ approval

WASHINGTON- Five Republican senators broke with party leaders Thursday to propose legislation that would limit President Trump’s use of the U.S. military in Venezuela, a move that comes as a growing number of Republican lawmakers have expressed concern over the White House’s threats to use force to acquire Greenland.

The procedural vote, which overcame objections from Republican leaders, now sets the stage for a full Senate vote next week on a measure that would block Trump from using military force “within or against Venezuela” without congressional approval. Even with Senate approval, the legislation is unlikely to become law because it is unlikely to pass the House, and President Trump – who has veto power over the legislation – has publicly condemned the measure and the Republicans who supported it.

“This vote greatly hampers American self-defense and national security, hindering the President’s authority as commander in chief,” Trump wrote in a social media post shortly after the 52-47 Senate vote.

The Republican defection on the issue underscores Republican lawmakers’ growing concern about the Trump administration’s foreign policy ambitions and highlights bipartisan concern that the president is testing the limits of the executive branch’s war powers — not only in Venezuela but also in Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of U.S. ally Denmark.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me.), one of the Republicans who voted for the resolution, said that while she supported the operation that led to the capture and extradition of Nicolás Maduro, she did not “support committing additional U.S. forces or long-term military engagement in Venezuela or Greenland without specific authorization from Congress.”

The resolution is co-sponsored by Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). The Republicans who supported him were Senators Collins, Paul, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

“Finally, the Senate is exercising its constitutional power to authorize the use of force to prevent America from being drawn into another war over oil,” Schiff said in a social media post after the vote.

Vice President JD Vance told reporters at the White House on Thursday that he was not concerned about Trump’s loss of support among Republican lawmakers in Washington, adding that passage of the resolution in the Senate would not “change anything in the way we conduct our foreign policy over the next two weeks or two months.”

But Republican support for the resolution reflects growing concern within the Republican Party over Trump’s foreign policy plans, particularly his threats to acquire Greenland — a move that prompted European leaders earlier this week to call on the United States to respect the Arctic territory’s sovereignty.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t believe “anyone is seriously considering” using the military to take control of Greenland.

“In Congress, that’s certainly not the case,” Johnson said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) struck a similar tone the same day, telling reporters that he does not “see military action as an option” in Greenland.

Other Republican lawmakers have been more openly critical, warning that even the idea of ​​using force against a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a defense alliance that includes the United States, risks weakening America’s position on the world stage.

“Threats and intimidation by U.S. officials regarding U.S. ownership of Greenland are both inappropriate and counterproductive,” Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) said in a statement. “And the use of force to seize the sovereign democratic territory of one of America’s most loyal and capable allies would constitute a particularly catastrophic act of strategic self-harm for America and its global influence.”

In a statement Tuesday, the White House said acquiring Greenland was a “national security priority” and that using the military to achieve that goal was “always an option.” A day earlier, Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, told CNN that “Greenland should be part of the United States.”

“No one will fight the United States militarily for the future of Greenland,” Miller said.

Miller’s remarks angered Republican senators, including Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) who, in a CNN interview Wednesday, called the idea of ​​invading Greenland “weapons stupid.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who has been a top Republican on the NATO observer group in the Senate since 2018, also criticized the idea in a searing speech on the Senate floor.

“I’m tired of the nonsense,” Tillis said. “I want good advice for this president, because I want him to have a good legacy. And this nonsense about what’s happening in Greenland is distracting from the good work he’s doing, and the amateurs who said it was a good idea should lose their jobs.”

Tillis, who is not seeking re-election this year, later told CNN that Miller needs to “get on a path where he knows what he’s talking about or get out of this position.”