- White House flips Republican senators
- Despite Trump's public attacks on them
- Trump urged voters to reject them
It coincides with the administration's rare defeat in the Senate last week, when five members of the president's party defected to support a War Powers resolution put forth by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) that would have limited the administration's ability to launch additional strikes against Venezuela and advanced it to a final floor vote. Trump responded angrily to the vote 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,”
wrote a furious Trump on Thursday.
According to Politico, the White House is now contacting some or all of those senators in an effort to allay their worries regarding the administration's plans for the South American nation where American forces kidnapped its president, Nicolas Maduro, in a shocking raid earlier this month. Maduro is currently being prosecuted in New York for cocaine trafficking.
The White House has until Wednesday, when the Senate will hold a "vote-a-rama" session to discuss the resolution's final passage, according to Kaine. In order to reject the resolution on the final vote, the president's team would need to flip two Republican votes, assuming that all Democratic senators continue to support it.
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of those senators, told Politico that she would not be changing her vote. The president may theoretically flip the remaining four. Todd Young, for example, failed to respond to the news outlet when asked if he would modify his mind regarding the last passage.
If the White House succeeds, the Republicans in the chamber may raise further opposition to the White House.
However, the administration's strategy for Venezuela and, more generally, its military posture in the western hemisphere are symbolically rebuked by its advancement last week and possible ultimate passage. Senators are debating Trump's threats to use military force to take Greenland from Denmark, as well as other possible interventions in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and potentially Iran, at the same time as the votes.
The future of Venezuela, in particular, is currently a source of concern for the White House. The president and his staff have not definitively said how they think Maduro's presidency should end or endorsed a particular Venezuelan to assume power.
Maduro was charged by U.S. officials with leading the "Cartel de los Soles," a massive criminal organization that allegedly included members of the military, intelligence agencies, and other high-ranking government officials.
Trump has frequently stated that the United States will "run" Venezuela for the time being and has consistently declined to rule out the possibility of sending American soldiers there. One of the five Republican defectors, Hawley, was persuaded to rejoin the White House by assurances that the latter possibility is unlikely, according to Politico.
Hawley argued in a press conference hours prior to the president's irate remarks on Truth Social that his vote wasn't intended as a slight to the president.
For once, it appears that Donald Trump may be up against it in the GOP-controlled Senate rather than the Democrats. In the end, however, the president is unchecked by Congress as he plans potential extensions of his regime change initiatives to Iran, where different estimates suggest that over 600 people have been killed in government crackdowns against nationwide protests.
The president may have given the clearest hint to date on Thursday that the United States intended to act in Iran, potentially with the goal of toppling the Iranian regime.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,”
the president wrote on Truth Social, before vowing:
“HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
Which Republican senators are most at risk of losing their seats in 2026?
Democratic Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina faces the loftiest threat of defeat in the 2026 polls after publicizing withdrawal, with former Popular Governor Roy Cooper rising as a strong frontrunner in the open seat race.
Tillis's exit opens a premier volley occasion in Trump- won North Carolina, where RNC Chair Michael Whatley Trump's championed seeker and former energy lobbyist trails Cooper's statewide dominance. Updates show Cooper leading by 5- 8 points amid affordability and healthcare messaging that propelled Popular earnings.
Contestant Susan Collins holds Maine's sole GOP seat in a Kamala Harris 7 state, surviving 2020 by 9 points but facing moderate Democrat Rep. Jared Golden or statewide contenders. Her New England outlier status invites high spending to portray her as a Trump supporter despite bipartisan record.