GOP Mostly Unwilling To Rein In Trump’s War Powers As He Ratchets Up Foreign Threats

WASHINGTON — Many leading Republicans in Congress have signaled little interest in curbing President Donald Trump’s authority to use military force, even after he ordered an operation targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and publicly suggested the U.S. could “run” Venezuela.

Republicans Largely Defer, Some Offer Guarded Responses

When asked whether Congress would move to limit the president’s war-making authority after the Caracas operation, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) gave a blunt reply: “No.” His answer illustrates a broader reluctance among many GOP lawmakers to reclaim the Article I powers granted to Congress over declarations of war and the authorization of military force.

Several Senate Republicans either downplayed Trump’s rhetoric or declined to say whether congressional approval would be required before U.S. forces were used on the ground. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-Idaho) said he didn’t want to engage in that hypothetical debate now. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) repeatedly refused to say whether Congress must authorize such deployments, saying only that “every circumstance is different.”

Democrats Press For A War Powers Vote

Democrats — led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) — and a small coalition of Republicans are pushing for a Senate vote on a War Powers Resolution intended to constrain further escalation in Venezuela. Kaine called the operation illegal and argued there is no credible evidence that Venezuela posed an imminent threat to the United States that would justify unilateral military action under the Constitution or the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

“Only Congress can declare war — or, in modern terms, authorize the use of military force,” Kaine said on the Senate floor. “The administration has advanced no credible legal basis under American or international law to invade Venezuela, depose its leadership, seize its oil and run the country.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has championed the measure and said Democrats have persuaded some Republicans to consider supporting a vote, but not yet enough to guarantee passage.

White House: Law Enforcement, Not War; Military Options Still On The Table

The White House argues the Venezuela action was tied to law enforcement objectives and therefore did not require prior congressional authorization. Administration officials also sought to reassure lawmakers that broader military escalation was not inevitable, even as the president’s public remarks left the possibility of ground troops and other interventions open.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said in a statement that acquiring Greenland remains a national security priority and that a full range of options — including military ones — is under consideration to deter adversaries in the Arctic region.

Concerns At Home And Abroad

Allied governments have expressed concern about President Trump’s rhetoric and the potential for further U.S. intervention. Some moderate Republicans say they need more information before taking a position: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said he expected briefings from State and Defense officials and that he remained undecided pending those meetings.

The debate highlights persistent tensions between the executive and legislative branches over who can authorize major uses of force, as well as the political realities that shape whether Congress will push back when a president pursues robust foreign policy actions.

Originally published on NBCNews.com.