Hold onto your hats, Washington is about to ignite a firestorm over who controls the trigger on military action in Venezuela.

Next week, the Senate will tackle a bipartisan resolution led by Sen. Tim Kaine to halt further U.S. military moves against Venezuela without explicit congressional approval, a direct response to President Donald Trump’s unsanctioned operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as Politico reports.

This clash isn’t just politics as usual—it’s a fundamental test of whether Congress can reassert its constitutional role in authorizing war or if the executive branch will continue to call the shots unchecked.

Trump’s Bold Move Sparks Backlash

The saga began when Trump ordered the capture of Maduro, sidestepping Congress entirely and sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill over the blatant disregard for legislative oversight.

Sen. Kaine didn’t hold back, branding the operation a “sickening return to a day when the United States asserted the right to dominate” the Western Hemisphere, a sharp critique of what he sees as a dangerous revival of interventionist overreach.

While the action is already done, Kaine’s resolution, set for a vote after the holiday break, aims to draw a line in the sand, mandating congressional consent for any future strikes on Venezuelan targets.

Republican Loyalty Faces a Reckoning

Historically, efforts to rein in Trump’s military maneuvers have crashed and burned, with a November Senate vote on a similar war powers measure failing due to scant GOP support—only Sens. Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski crossed party lines.

Yet, the winds might be shifting, as Sen. Susan Collins expressed irritation over delayed briefings, insisting Congress must be looped in sooner as tensions evolve.

Similarly, Sen. Todd Young gave a nod to Trump’s public press conference on the operation but stressed, “we still need more answers,” hinting at a growing unease among some Republicans about unchecked executive power.

Kaine and Democrats Ramp Up Pressure

Kaine is pulling no punches, urging GOP lawmakers to stop pretending Trump’s tough talk is mere posturing, declaring they “cannot pretend anymore” that such rhetoric is just a bluff or a negotiating tactic.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is doubling down, pressing Republicans with a stern reminder: “We are saying to the Republicans, this is your responsibility. President Trump is a member of your party.”

Schumer’s message is clear—partisan loyalty shouldn’t trump the grave risks of military escalation without oversight, especially when hemispheric stability hangs in the balance.

Briefings Loom as Tensions Simmer

As lawmakers return to Washington, administration officials are gearing up to brief them on the Maduro operation, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune anticipating that these discussions will frame the move within a broader counternarcotics strategy.

House Speaker Mike Johnson also confirmed the White House is working to schedule these sessions, though it’s anyone’s guess whether they’ll calm the waters or pour fuel on an already blazing debate over war powers.

These briefings could be a make-or-break moment for swaying undecided senators, particularly those in the GOP who are teetering on the edge of challenging Trump’s aggressive foreign policy in Latin America.

Congressional Authority at a Crossroads

This Senate vote isn’t just about Venezuela, critics suggest—it’s a litmus test for whether Congress can reclaim its rightful place in deciding when and where America wages war, a principle too often sidelined in recent years.

With some Republican senators like Collins and Young showing flickers of concern over Trump’s unilateral approach, the outcome could signal whether the party is ready to prioritize constitutional checks over executive allegiance.

Let’s not kid ourselves—if the members of the GOP continue to rubber-stamp these solo military plays, they risk handing over not just war powers, but, some would argue, the very backbone of our democratic framework to a single office.