Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on the day of a briefing for the Home of Representatives on the scenario in Venezuela, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 7, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday solid a tie-breaking vote, blocking a decision supposed to halt President Donald Trump from utilizing the army in Venezuela.
Vance’s vote for the purpose of order on the measure, generally known as a struggle powers decision, alerts that Trump was capable of efficiently foyer sufficient Republican senators to modify their votes. Final week, 5 Republican senators joined with Democrats to vote for it — a surprising defeat for Trump after he ordered a strike that captured Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro.
Within the days since, the White Home engaged in a livid lobbying effort to dam the measure.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., one of many senators who voted for the measure, flipped his vote, saying earlier this week that the administration had been persuasive in addressing his considerations.
“The interplay has been actually optimistic,” Hawley mentioned in an interview with reporters earlier this week.
Trump himself had been clear: He demanded that the Senate defeat the measure. After it superior final week, he mentioned the group of 5 that voted for it ought to by no means be elected to workplace once more.
