Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley broke from President Donald Trump on a critical resolution curtailing military action against Venezuela.
It's a move that not only drew the wrath of Trump, but also stoked speculation that Hawley plans to run for president in 2028.
Since the operation on Saturday, Hawley had remained mum on Trump's decision to invade Venezuela and arrest its president, Nicolas Maduro. That was in sharp contrast to other Missouri Republicans, like Sen. Eric Schmitt, who strongly supported Trump's decision.
Hawley was one of five Republicans who voted Thursday for Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine's war powers resolution that bars Trump from conducting "hostilities within or against Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force." That measure advanced through the Senate 52-47.
In a statement, Hawley said, "My read of the Constitution is that if the President feels the need to put boots on the ground there in the future, Congress would need to vote on it.
"That's why I voted yes on this morning's Senate resolution," Hawley said.
Schmitt voted against Kaine's resolution.
"There is no war in Venezuela," Schmitt said in a statement. "President Trump was operating well within his Article II powers to conduct an expedient operation alongside federal law enforcement to go after an indicted foreign criminal who posed a threat to the United States and the American people. This war powers resolution is a waste of time and a distraction from the real issues facing Missourians."
After the vote, Trump blasted the five GOP senators who voted for the measure – Hawley, Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Todd Young and Susan Collins. He posted on Truth Social: "Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America."
"Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again," Trump wrote. "This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President's Authority as Commander in Chief. In any event, and despite their 'stupidity,' 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."
Hawley is not up for reelection until 2030, but the vote stokes speculation that Hawley may run to succeed Trump in 2028 by diverging from him on key issues.
Hawley has been much more critical of large technology companies than Trump. While Trump has backed a ban on states regulating artificial intelligence, Hawley not only opposed that idea but has called for more rigorous regulation of the emerging technology.
He also was one of the Republican senators who voted to advance a measure to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. And while he voted for the Big Beautiful Bill that included major restrictions to a critical tax that funds Medicaid programs, he has sponsored legislation to repeal those cuts before they go into effect.
While Hawley has also actively sought out labor union members by reversing his previous support for "right to work laws," he's also continued to be an outspoken opponent of abortion – so much so that national news outlets reported it caused tension with Trump's administration.
Durbin and Duckworth back resolution
Hawley joined both of Illinois' Democratic senators in voting for Kaine's resolution.
In a statement, Sen. Tammy Duckworth said, "Today's bipartisan vote in the Senate is a step toward blocking the President from further escalating military force against Venezuela, reasserting our Constitutional authority and sending an important message that Trump must end his march into another reckless forever war with no justification and no end state."
"It is indisputable that Nicolás Maduro was a brutal dictator," Duckworth said. "But it is not America's responsibility to go around the world using our military to push regime change when there is no imminent threat to our national security and then running foreign countries when we have our own serious problems here at home."
While Trump detained Maduro on narcotics charges, he hasn't stopped the nation's appointed vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, from ascending to the presidency. Rodríguez has called for Maduro's return and is considered a hardline supporter.
Durbin said in a statement, "I learned during my time in Congress that it is far easier to start a war than it is to end one."
"The U.S. Constitution explicitly says that the power to declare war resides with Congress," Durbin said. "The Trump Administration is engaging us in a long-term conflict that could cost us dearly and they have yet to engage the American people in the discussion and rationale of our ultimate goals in the region. Until we have clarity, we cannot allow this conflict to escalate at the expense of American lives. I applaud my five Republican colleagues for joining every Senate Democrat to advance this resolution."
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