President Trump suffered a rare defeat in the Senate on Thursday morning.
In a 52-47 procedural vote, the Senate voted to block President Trump from further military strikes on Venezuela.
Notably, five Republican senators sided with Democrats.
Fox News provided the names of the five Senate Republicans siding with Democrats and what all needs to happen for the vote to have any standing:
The attempt to reassert Congress’ war powers authority, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., survived despite broad support among most Senate Republicans, who argued that Trump’s use of the military in Venezuela was justified.
ADVERTISEMENTAmong the defectors were Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who co-sponsored the resolution, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, Todd Young, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
But Thursday’s successful vote, which also handed Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., a rare defeat on the floor, is just the first step before the resolution officially passes. The Senate will have to take another vote, this time with the 60-vote filibuster threshold, before it becomes official.
Kaine’s resolution would effectively end any further military operations involving Venezuela without explicit congressional approval. It was one of many bids since Trump took office last year by the bipartisan group to claw back Congress’ authority in weighing in on military action.
The outcome of the vote remained an open question, even just moments before the final gavel.
The defectors were on the fence as to whether to rein Trump in following a classified briefing with administration officials on Operation Absolute Resolve, the code name of the mission to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The final count:
BREAKING: The Senate advances a war powers resolution that would limit President Trump’s ability to strike Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/kLOvg9TiK5
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 8, 2026
Many have been calling the vote symbolic, considering the Senate has to pass the bill again with a 60-vote threshold to end the filibuster, and the White House has signaled it will veto the bill if passed:
BREAKING: The Senate just PASSED a bill to prevent war with Venezuela.
Don’t let anyone tell you this is just symbolic. We will keep pushing until it passes the House, and then we push to pass it with a veto-proof majority.
No war. No occupation.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) January 8, 2026
Politico reported Senator John Fetterman, who has shown support for Trump’s actions in Venezuela, sided with his fellow Democrats:
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.Fetterman, who voted alongside fellow Democrats, was seen as a wild card headed into the vote. He hailed the military operation that ousted Maduro, but had supported a previous effort to require Trump to seek congressional input on Venezuela.
The vote is a shocking sign of divisions among the GOP on Trump’s plans for the South American country, including the president’s pronouncements that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela and control its oil sales.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Senate will next debate the measure and vote to pass it. But the resolution would still need to pass the House, which could prove tricker. And if it does, Trump is likely to veto it. The margin of victory in Thursday’s vote was well short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.
Where do you stand?
