Vance Becomes the Decisive Decision: Trump's Effort to Limit Venezuela Fails
Donald Trump's political pressure in the Senate has paid off: the Republican majority unanimously killed a resolution that would have limited further US military action in Venezuela. The vote was tight until Vice President J.D. Vance intervened to break the tie—and from then on, the resolution's chances of advancing were virtually dead.
This move came after a US operation that resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a night raid earlier this month. Several senators protested that Congress was not consulted before the operation, leading to calls to "pull the brakes" through the War Powers mechanism.
Last week, several Republican senators briefly voted to pass the initial phase of the resolution. But after Trump's aggressive lobbying by phone and public pressure, two senators who had previously supported it reversed course and voted to block it—proving the cost of "crossing" Trump within the party.
Republicans argued that the resolution was not urgent because the US was not currently involved in ongoing hostilities, making the War Powers mechanism negligible. Democrats argue the opposite: without restrictions, the White House can expand operations without a clear mandate from Congress.
The result sends a strong signal: political control over Trump's military agenda is weakening, and the US foreign policy landscape can move quickly without much hindrance. For the markets, this usually means one thing: geopolitical risks remain high, and headlines can shake sentiment at any time.
Key points:
- The resolution limiting US military action in Venezuela was blocked; JD Vance was the tiebreaker.
- The trigger: the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro and sparked criticism of the lack of consultation with Congress.
- Trump pressured GOP senators who had supported the resolution—some of whom eventually reversed their stance.
- The reason for the block: The US was not in "ongoing hostilities," so War Powers was deemed inappropriate.
- The impact: A signal of weakened Congressional control, increased geopolitical risks and policy uncertainty, driving up precious metals and oil prices. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
