The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct future military actions related to Venezuela after a 50–50 tie vote was broken by the vice president, ending the effort.

The resolution failed when Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote, exercising his constitutional role as president of the Senate. The measure was introduced under war powers rules and sought to require congressional authorization before additional military operations could proceed.

The outcome followed intense pressure from President Trump on Republican lawmakers, particularly after several GOP senators initially supported advancing the resolution. According to multiple reports, Trump expressed anger over the early defections and personally urged Republican senators to oppose the measure.

That pressure proved decisive. Two Republican senators who had previously voted to advance the resolution reversed their positions ahead of the final vote, effectively ensuring its defeat. Their change removed the bipartisan support needed for the measure to pass.

Administration officials argued the resolution was unnecessary, stating that current U.S. actions connected to Venezuela did not amount to a sustained military conflict requiring new congressional authorization. They also emphasized that no large-scale deployment of U.S. ground forces was underway.

Supporters of the resolution contended that recent U.S. operations increased the risk of deeper military involvement and that Congress should assert its constitutional authority over decisions involving the use of force.

The vice president’s tie-breaking vote highlighted the narrow margin by which the resolution failed and underscored the administration’s success in consolidating Republican support after internal divisions emerged. The episode illustrated both the influence of presidential pressure in a closely divided Senate and the pivotal role of the vice president in determining legislative outcomes.

Although the resolution was defeated, the close vote reflected continued debate in Congress over war powers, executive authority, and legislative oversight of U.S. military actions abroad.

Sources: Reuters, AP News, Los Angles Times, Washington Post, Fox News Axios