On Wednesday, the Senate narrowly blocked an effort to limit President Donald Trump’s use of military force against boats suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean. The measure was backed by Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia and failed 48–51 after Democrats used the War Powers Resolution to compel a vote. Two Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski, joined most Democrats in support.
According to Reuters, the push followed at least four U.S. strikes since early September that hit small boats off Venezuela and in neighboring waters, killing at least 21 people. The administration has said the targets were linked to drug cartels and that the operations were needed to protect U.S. security.
Sen. Adam Schiff said he and Kaine “forced a vote to block the unauthorized boat strikes in the Caribbean,” calling the outcome “an important step forward” even though it fell two votes short. He said support for another attempt would grow if the operations continue.
In a separate statement, Sen. Tim Kaine argued that only Congress has the power to declare war and said the White House refused to disclose basic information about the strikes, including who died and why standard interdiction wasn’t used. “Americans want fewer wars — not more,” he said.
Opponents of the resolution said the president should be able to act quickly against transnational criminal groups. Supporters countered that lethal strikes without specific authorization risk worsening a regional crisis and depart from the long-standing practice of Coast Guard–led maritime interdictions. Reuters reported that the vote was the first major test of the president’s authority over the campaign, which critics say lacks clarity about targets, legal basis, and potential civilian harm.
Regional unease has grown after Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said there are “signs” a recently struck boat was Colombian and carried civilians, raising fears of spillover and mistaken targets, according to AP.
With the measure’s defeat, the administration’s approach remains in place. Schiff and Kaine said they will pursue another war powers effort if the strikes continue, while lawmakers from both parties pressed for more information on casualties, targeting standards, and legal rationale.
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