Schiff launches Senate bid to block Trump from attacking Venezuela

David Lightman, The Sacramento Bee on Dec 3, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

If the United States launches military action against Venezuela, a group of senators is ready to act quickly to try to block the use of American military force there.

“We share the concerns of the American people who have made it abundantly clear that they don’t want more forever wars — especially ones decided in secret that will drive displacement and migration in our hemisphere,” said Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., in a joint statement.

If the U.S. does strike Venezuela, they said, they will force a debate and vote in Congress to stop the action. President Donald Trump has hinted he could act against Venezuela as part of his effort to curb narcotics trafficking in the Western Hemisphere.

A Senate debate would be the third congressional effort in recent weeks to curb Western Hemisphere aggression by the Trump administration. The others failed on largely party-line votes.

Paul told The Sacramento Bee this bid’s chances would also be shaky.

“I think it would be a similar vote,” he said.

But, he added, “There’s been Republican pushback.” Paul and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, were the only Republicans to join Democrats last month in trying to curb administration moves in the region.

Trying to stop Trump

The effort to stop the administration would use the 1973 War Powers Resolution, enacted after Congress felt it had not been consulted correctly about the Vietnam War.

It largely requires the president to consult Congress before engaging in military action. In an emergency, the president can act and notify Congress within 48 hours and then can continue the military action for 60 days, plus a 30-day withdrawal period, unless Congress agrees otherwise.

The Trump administration has moved military personnel and equipment into areas near Venezuela, saying it is trying to combat narcotics trafficking. Trump says he has authorized the CIA to engage in covert operations in the country.

The president wants Nicolas Maduro to step down. The administration contends he’s a key player in narcotics trafficking, though Trump last week pardoned convicted drug trafficker Juan Orlando Hernández, the ex-president of Honduras. Trump maintained he was convicted in a politically motivated trial in New York City.

The deadly boat attacks

What has caused deep concern in Congress, including questions from some Republicans, is the U.S. attacks on boats in the Caribbean, strikes that have killed at least 80 people.

An attack that killed two people in a second strike has triggered a bipartisan investigation looking into what happened. Legal experts have suggested that action could constitute a war crime.

Schiff told The Bee he’s trying again to stop U.S. military action in the region because “I think some of my fears are being realized, and the members see that.

“We’ve been concerned about harm to our service members and legal harm, legal liability. Now that has materialized,” he said.

The pardoning of Honduras’ ex-president, Schiff explained, “just demonstrates the attack on these ships and potentially on Venezuela has a lot more to it than the counter-narcotics effort. If it were countering narcotics, we wouldn’t pardon one of the biggest narcotics traffickers.”

_____