President Donald Trump chided five Republican senators Thursday for joining Democrats to advance a War Powers resolution that would constrain his authority to conduct military action — particularly after recent operations in Venezuela.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Republicans "should be ashamed" of Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Todd Young of Indiana for voting with Democrats in an effort "to take away our powers to fight and defend the United States of America."
The resolution was advanced in the Senate on a 52-47 vote with those five GOP members crossing party lines. The measure has little chance of becoming law, as Trump would have to sign it even if it passed the House.
"This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President's Authority as Commander in Chief," Trump wrote.
He called the War Powers Act "unconstitutional," asserting that past presidents and their Justice Departments had similarly found it in conflict with Article II of the Constitution.
Trump did not pull punches, saying the five senators "should never be elected to office again," and dismissed the measure as driven by what he called stupidity.
"Nevertheless, a more important Senate Vote will be taking place next week on this very subject," he wrote.
The resolution — aimed at limiting the president's ability to take further action without specific congressional approval — was seen as a rare bipartisan rebuke of Trump's foreign policy approach.
It came amid bipartisan debate over the U.S. raid in Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as well as Trump's comments about taking Greenland.
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