Washington — The House defeated the latest war powers resolution on Thursday in response to President Trump’s recent military operation in Venezuela.
Democrats continue to hammer the issue and have repeatedly tried to block further military action in the South American country, but the efforts have lacked enough GOP support.
Two Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, which narrowly failed in a 215 to 215 vote.
Republicans had to hold the 2-minute vote open for more than 20 minutes until Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas arrived to cast the tie-breaking vote, which defeated the measure. The delay in closing the vote caused an outcry from Democrats.
“Close the vote!” Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan of New York yelled as it was on the brink of passage without Hunt’s vote. “This is serious s***!”
The vote comes a week after the White House peeled off GOP support for a similar measure in the Senate that also narrowly failed to advance. Two Senate Republicans who flipped their votes to help sink the resolution said Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave them assurances that the president would seek congressional authorization if the administration plans to put U.S. troops in Venezuela.
The House resolution, introduced by Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, “directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization for use of military force.”
Two prior attempts to limit Mr. Trump’s authority to strike Venezuela and suspected drug-smuggling boats in the region fell short in December, before this month’s U.S. operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The first measure from last month — with the broader focus of removing U.S. armed forces from “hostilities with any presidentially designated terrorist organization in the Western Hemisphere” — had the support of two Republicans, while two Democrats voted against it. The second resolution focused on “hostilities within or against Venezuela.” Three Republicans voted in favor and one Democrat opposed it.
McGovern’s latest resolution had a similar outcome. Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska both backed it. The two also supported the previous unsuccessful efforts.
Bacon pointed to a fake image shared by Mr. Trump earlier this week, showing the president, vice president and secretary of state planting an American flag on Greenland. The image included a sign that claimed Greenland as a U.S. territory as of 2026.
“When you ask me why I voted the way I did on the War Powers Resolution later this week… here’s one reason,” Bacon wrote.
When the Senate’s efforts to rein in future military action in Venezuela had short-lived momentum, Massie said he was hopeful that more Republicans in the House would change their stance. Days earlier, the U.S. had captured Maduro in an operation that came as a surprise to Congress. Mr. Trump then asserted the U.S. was running the country, worrying some Republicans who had previously defended the president’s authority to carry out strikes on dozens of boats allegedly smuggling illicit drugs.
Any GOP criticism of the strikes has mostly quieted as attention has shifted to Mr. Trump’s crusade to acquire Greenland.
Democrats have indicated they plan to keep forcing votes on the issue, especially after Mr. Trump and members of his administration have threatened military intervention against other countries, including Greenland, Iran, Colombia, Mexico and Cuba.
“We will be relentless in pressing this issue and pressing our colleagues,” Rep. Maggie Goodlander, a New Hampshire Democrat, said Thursday.