The Senate voted Wednesday night to dismiss a War Powers resolution that would have restricted President Donald Trump's ability to conduct further military operations in Venezuela, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote in a 50-50 decision.
Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed their previous positions after Trump applied intense pressure following the bill's advancement last week. The resolution was introduced by Democrats in response to U.S. troops' capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a surprise raid earlier this month.
The vote occurred as Trump prepared to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday. Machado's party is widely believed to have won Venezuela's 2024 election before Maduro rejected the results.
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The Senate vote represents a significant victory for the Trump administration on Capitol Hill and signals approval from Republican leaders for the president's Venezuela strategy. However, major questions remain about Venezuela's future leadership and reconstruction.
Machado, a longtime opposition political leader, has been traveling globally to gain support from world leaders, including a recent meeting with Pope Leo. While she has received backing from many international figures and members of Congress who believe she should lead Venezuela, she has yet to receive Trump's full endorsement.
Trump has spoken more positively about Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former longtime vice president who now serves as Venezuela's acting president. The president offered kind words about Rodriguez during a Wednesday Oval Office appearance.
Machado recently won the Nobel Peace Prize and has offered to share the honor with Trump, an idea the president has embraced. However, the Nobel Prize Committee has stated this cannot happen.
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Key questions remain about the U.S. military's long-term role in Venezuela, when elections might occur, and who Trump will ultimately support as the country's leader. These answers may emerge following Thursday's White House meeting with Machado.
