Senate GOP shields Trump from limits to his war powers in Venezuela after Vance breaks tie

By Morgan Rimmer, Ted Barrett, Manu Raju, CNN

(CNN) — Senate Republicans blocked an effort to curb the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela, a victory for the president who was incensed that some Republicans tried to tie his hands on a key foreign policy.

Vice President JD Vance traveled to Capitol Hill Wednesday night to cast the tie-breaking vote, derailing the measure that would have forced the White House to seek congressional approval for further military force in the country.

The bipartisan plan initially won over five Republican senators last week on a key procedural vote. But GOP Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana ultimately withdrew their support after an intense pressure campaign from the Trump administration that included calls from the president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The eleventh-hour flips underscore the president’s significant influence over his party, as well as his willingness to attack any member who steps out of line with his agenda. The initial GOP defectors had endured the wrath of Trump, who railed on them publicly and vowed to end their political careers.

GOP leaders and the White House in recent days were closely tracking the vote – the second such attempt to rein in the president’s unilateral authority since November.

The question of the boundaries of the president’s authority – and Congress’ role in authorizing military action abroad – has roiled Capitol Hill in recent months as the Trump administration has escalated its military campaign in South America.

The US operation in Venezuela leading to the ouster and capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month triggered a series of classified briefings in Washington that largely deepened the partisan divide on the issue.

Young, who had been in talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said he received “fairly extensive personal assurances” from the administration over the United States’ role in Venezuela.

The senator could be seen having one-on-one conversations with Sens. Tim Kaine, the Democratic cosponsor of the resolution, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, the Republicans who stood firm in their votes alongside Democrats.

Hawley similarly told reporters ahead of the vote that Rubio’s insistence that there would not be ground troops sent to Venezuela, and his pledge that the administration would seek congressional approval if that changed, ultimately convinced him that the resolution was unnecessary.

Among the assurances: Prior to “any major military operation in Venezuela,” the administration will “come to Congress” and seek congressional approval, Young said. He also said Rubio would testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this month.

Kaine scoffed at Hawley’s decision hours ahead of the vote. “So, he doesn’t think Congress has a role in war? That strikes me as odd,” he told reporters.

Paul, the Republican backer of the effort who said he had a “spirited conversation” with the president last week, dismissed the administration’s argument that there is no war underway an “elaborate ruse.”

“If you have 1000 boats or 100 boats off of a country’s coast, you’ve already bombed their capital, and you’re now preventing any boats from coming in and out and taking all their oil. Are you at war with that nation?” the Kentucky Republican said.

“I think it’s a disservice to the people who put their lives on the line that we’re not calling it a war. So we play games. And people need to point out that, frankly, this is an elaborate ruse that’s being perpetrated on the American people.”

Murkowski said in a statement Wednesday night that the war powers resolution “reaffirms Congress’s Article I responsibility to authorize hostilities and ensures that decisions of this magnitude receive appropriate debate and oversight.”

“Congress has an obligation to ask hard questions before—not after—hostilities escalate,” she said.

Kaine argued Wednesday night that the measure had pressured the administration into some promises to Congress.

“The way cracks grow is through pressure, and the pressure campaign that I sort of decided to launch by using these privileged motions, I’m going to file every one I can to challenge emergencies, to challenge unlawful wars, seek human rights reports, arms transfers if they’re wrong,” he said.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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CNN’s Sarah Ferris and Lauren Fox contributed to this report.