At a Glance
- President Trump called all five Republican senators who voted to advance the War Powers resolution on Venezuela
- He threatened each with primary challenges, vowing to unseat them from Congress
- The Senate vote requires the administration to obtain Congressional approval for future military action in Venezuela
- Why it matters: The rebuke sets up a showdown between the White House and GOP defectors over war powers
President Trump moved swiftly to punish the five Republican senators who broke ranks and voted to advance a War Powers resolution limiting his authority on Venezuela, placing angry calls to each lawmaker and threatening them with primary challenges.
The procedural vote on Thursday advanced the legislation to a full Senate vote that will require only a simple majority to pass. Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Todd Young of Indiana joined Democrats in supporting the measure.
The President’s Fury
According to two people with knowledge of the calls, Trump contacted each senator soon after the vote and threatened their political futures. The conversations were described as “direct but cordial,” though the president reportedly raised his voice during his exchange with Collins.
The six-term Maine senator, who faces re-election this year, has not formally announced her political plans. A person close to Collins told News Of Fort Worth that Trump’s rhetoric would not influence her decision about seeking another term.
The president’s ire extended beyond private phone calls. In a post to Truth Social after Thursday’s vote, Trump declared that all five senators “should never be elected to office again.”
Constitutional Clash
Trump’s social media post framed the vote as a threat to national security: “This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief.”
He further argued that “the War Powers Act is Unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me.”
The War Powers resolution would require the administration to obtain Congressional approval for any future military action in Venezuela, directly challenging the president’s ability to conduct military operations without legislative oversight.
Mixed GOP Response
Despite the president’s anger, not all of the Republican defectors expressed regret about their votes. Natalie A. Brooks spoke to several of the senators involved, including Hawley and Paul, who offered praise for Trump despite their disagreement.
“I love the President, I think he’s doing a great job,” Hawley said, while also forecasting that he could change his vote when the Senate takes up final passage of the resolution this week.
The White House has not responded to News Of Fort Worth‘s request for comment about the president’s calls to the senators or his threats of primary challenges.
Political Stakes
The rebellion within Republican ranks represents a rare break in party unity during Trump’s presidency. The five senators who crossed the aisle now face the prospect of well-funded primary challenges backed by the president’s political operation.
Collins, already facing a challenging re-election environment in Maine, must weigh her vote against the president’s threat. The other four senators face varying levels of political risk depending on their states and electoral timelines.
The full Senate vote on the War Powers resolution will test whether the president’s pressure campaign has swayed any of the Republican defectors to change their position before final passage.
