In a shocking display of executive overreach, President Trump's administration carried out a daring raid on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro without so much as a whisper to Congress. The brazen move not only disregarded the constitution but also mocked the War Powers Resolution, a 1973 law designed to prevent just such a scenario.
The fact that senior members of Congress were kept in the dark until the operation was already underway suggests that Trump's administration has grown increasingly comfortable with defying checks on its power. Even former allies are now toeing the line, as seen in the case of Senator Mike Lee, who recently declared that Maduro's arrest was within Trump's constitutional authority to protect US personnel.
The absence of Republican criticism on this matter is telling, particularly compared to when Trump first took office and considered seeking authorization for a targeted strike against Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani. Now, even those who initially voiced concerns about the lack of congressional approval have fallen silent, choosing instead to align themselves with the president's agenda.
The Democrats, however, are not letting this slide. Nancy Pelosi, Tim Kaine, and Mark Warner have all condemned Trump's actions, arguing that they violate the Constitution's system of checks and balances. The need for congressional oversight is particularly pressing in cases involving military force, as noted by Kaine, who has tabled a war powers resolution aimed at reining in the administration's actions in Venezuela.
While some analysts are calling for a rewrite of the War Powers Resolution to address the problem, others argue that this may be too little, too late. With so many Republicans willing to put party loyalty above constitutional principles, it remains to be seen whether Congress will find the courage to take action against Trump's authoritarian tendencies.
In short, the failure to consult with Congress before taking military action in Venezuela has exposed the limits of presidential power and raised serious questions about the role of Congress in holding the executive branch accountable. It is a developing story that will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months.
The fact that senior members of Congress were kept in the dark until the operation was already underway suggests that Trump's administration has grown increasingly comfortable with defying checks on its power. Even former allies are now toeing the line, as seen in the case of Senator Mike Lee, who recently declared that Maduro's arrest was within Trump's constitutional authority to protect US personnel.
The absence of Republican criticism on this matter is telling, particularly compared to when Trump first took office and considered seeking authorization for a targeted strike against Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani. Now, even those who initially voiced concerns about the lack of congressional approval have fallen silent, choosing instead to align themselves with the president's agenda.
The Democrats, however, are not letting this slide. Nancy Pelosi, Tim Kaine, and Mark Warner have all condemned Trump's actions, arguing that they violate the Constitution's system of checks and balances. The need for congressional oversight is particularly pressing in cases involving military force, as noted by Kaine, who has tabled a war powers resolution aimed at reining in the administration's actions in Venezuela.
While some analysts are calling for a rewrite of the War Powers Resolution to address the problem, others argue that this may be too little, too late. With so many Republicans willing to put party loyalty above constitutional principles, it remains to be seen whether Congress will find the courage to take action against Trump's authoritarian tendencies.
In short, the failure to consult with Congress before taking military action in Venezuela has exposed the limits of presidential power and raised serious questions about the role of Congress in holding the executive branch accountable. It is a developing story that will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months.
OMG this is so crazy like what even is going on with Trump's admin?? They literally carried out this raid without telling congress 
it's like they think they're above the law or something? I'm all for taking action against Maduro, but come on, you gotta do it right 
. And where are all these republicans who were so mad about Obama doing stuff without consulting congress now? Like, party loyalty over constitutional principles? No thanks 
. This is a major red flag for me, if Congress doesn't step in and hold Trump accountable, we're in big trouble 
.
like, what even is going on with congress these days? they're supposed to be checking each other out not just letting trump run wild 
meanwhile democrats are all over this like a bad rash 
it's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out... 
. The Republicans are too scared to speak up, and the Democrats are all like "Hey, nope, this is not cool 
". I'm worried about the limits of presidential power and whether Congress will step in to stop it. Can't we just have a conversation about this? 
, right? But at the same time, isn't it weird that Congress wasn't even informed about the raid? Like, shouldn't they be in the loop on something like this? 
Without that, we're basically just a dictatorship. Or are we? 
? Like, what's good with that?! I get it, checks on power are important and all, but the fact that his own party is MIA on this one?