The Scoop
Senate Democrats are mounting a multi-pronged push to maximize opposition to President Donald Trump’s controversial military campaign in Venezuela.
Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., plan to introduce a bill today that would block US military action in Venezuela not authorized by Congress by preventing the Pentagon from spending any money toward it. The senators plan to try to force a vote on the legislation by asking for unanimous consent in the chamber, according to plans shared first with Semafor, though they are unlikely to succeed.
Their measure is the latest in a series of efforts by Senate Democrats — and one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky — to rein in the administration’s polarizing strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean.
A separate push from Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Kaine, and Paul, announced Wednesday, will soon force a vote on blocking Trump from engaging in hostilities against Venezuela. While it is certain to fail — like similar past votes — the resolution will put Republicans in a tricky position as some of their own members raise questions about Trump’s moves.
“Donald Trump cannot be trusted, and we must say no to another endless war, reckless regime change, and lethal operations — which are essentially extrajudicial killings — and do nothing to make the American people safer,” Merkley, who introduced similar legislation in 2019 during the first Trump administration, said in a statement to Semafor.
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There is growing unease on Capitol Hill over recent reports regarding a second strike on an alleged drug boat that killed survivors. But Trump administration officials are dismissing efforts to handcuff their decisions, and the president is continuing to put pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
That pressure has grown this week as Maduro ignores the administration’s private ultimatum for him to step down. Those close to the administration believe Trump will soon make a final decision on his next steps; he held a Venezuela-focused meeting with his top national security advisers just days ago.
Many people close to the administration told Semafor they believe Trump will ultimately choose to make a more aggressive push to oust Maduro, who the US government claims is the head of a drug cartel.
Trump on Tuesday told reporters the administration may launch land strikes against drug traffickers “very soon,” though it was unclear whether he was referring to attacks specifically inside of Venezuela (an option that remains on the table).