Not so fast: Five Republicans vote to stop President Trump in his tracks

The U.S. Senate has approved a resolution that would prevent President Donald Trump from launching new military actions in Venezuela without prior authorization from Congress.

Five Republicans vote to stop Trump

The measure passed 52-47, with all Democrats and five Republicans voting in favor. Under the resolution, Trump would need approval from the House of Representatives before taking any further steps in the military operation that has already led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The vote reflects growing concern over executive authority in foreign conflicts. By joining Democrats, five Republican senators signaled that major military decisions should not be made unilaterally by the president.

The approval comes at the same time as a meeting between the Trump administration and major oil companies to discuss the state of the Venezuelan oil industry and the operations of foreign companies in the country.

Congress not notified over “leaks”

According to CNN, the administration did not notify Congress in advance of the rapid operation that captured Maduro. “Congress tends to leak information... I think the outcome would have been very different,” Trump said during a press appearance at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Venezuela’s oil delivery to the U.S.

The resolution follows Trump’s announcement regarding Venezuelan oil deliveries to the United States. He estimated the country would send between 30 and 50 million barrels, worth roughly $2 billion. The decision came after the capture of Maduro on January 3.

Through his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said his administration would monitor revenue from the deal to ensure funds benefit both the Venezuelan population and the American people. Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world, though production has been limited by sanctions and underinvestment.

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