Susan Collins Under Fire After Vote Blocking Limits on Trump’s Venezuela Action
Sen. Susan Collins is facing renewed political scrutiny following last week’s U.S. military operation in Venezuela, after critics resurfaced her pivotal vote against a War Powers resolution that would have restricted President Donald Trump from launching military action without explicit congressional approval.
On Nov. 6, 2025, the U.S. Senate voted 49–51 on a motion to advance S.J.Res. 90, a joint resolution introduced under the War Powers Act that sought to direct the removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress. Collins voted no, helping block the measure from moving forward. Only two Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined Democrats in support.
At the time, Collins’ office said the resolution was too broad and risked interfering with legitimate counternarcotics operations in the region. Opponents argued the vote effectively removed a congressional check on potential escalation.
The issue has resurfaced after U.S. forces conducted large-scale strikes on Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The Trump administration said the operation was part of a fentanyl-related counternarcotics crackdown, though Trump later stated the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela during a transition period, raising questions about regime change and international law.
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Democrats and anti-war advocates say the November vote is directly linked to the administration’s ability to carry out the operation without congressional authorization. Sen. Tim Kaine, who sponsored the resolution, has announced plans to force another vote next week to limit further military action.
Collins issued a statement after the operation describing Maduro as a “narco-terrorist” and calling the mission a limited-scope law enforcement action, while also acknowledging Congress should have been informed earlier and must play a role moving forward.
Online, criticism intensified as Graham Platner, Collins’ progressive challenger in the 2026 Maine Senate race, accused her of enabling “illegal foreign wars.” The criticism echoes long-running debates over congressional war powers, executive authority, and U.S. involvement abroad.
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