Republicans reverse course on war powers vote and give Trump unchecked authority in Venezuela

Republicans reverse course on war powers vote and give Trump unchecked authority in Venezuela

Two Republicans flipped their votes after intense pressure from Trump.

https://www.ms.now/news/republicans-reverse-war-powers-vote-trump-unchecked-authority-venezuela

Jan. 14, 2026, 6:36 PM EST
By
Mychael Schnell
When five Senate Republicans voted with Democrats last week to advance a resolution to restrict President Donald Trump’s military authority in Venezuela, it looked like a significant rebuke of the administration.

Now, a week later — after two Republicans flipped their votes following intense lobbying from Trump and the White House — it looks like the latest example of GOP lawmakers bowing to the president.

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans approved a procedural gambit to block the Venezuela war powers resolution from getting a final vote, stopping the bipartisan effort dead in its tracks after it appeared headed for success.

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The turn-of-events came to fruition after Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana — two of the GOP senators who voted to advance the measure last week — sided with Republicans on a point of order to rule the war powers resolution ineligible for a fast-track vote.