Congress’s role questioned as Democrats vow to rein in Trump on Venezuela

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by Joseph StepanskyJanuary 6, 2026 at 03:30 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Following the US military's abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January 2026, Democrats in Congress are vowing to introduce a war powers resolution to check President Trump's military actions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the party will push for a vote on the resolution within the week. Experts argue the attack on Venezuela represents a clear example of presidential overreach and a violation of both the US Constitution and the UN Charter. Despite these arguments, the resolution faces an uphill battle in Congress, which has historically struggled to limit presidential authority on military matters. The situation is considered a critical test of Congress's willingness to reassert its constitutional power to authorize military engagements.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

China 40% Russia 40% Washington, DC 50% Senate ×260% United Nations (UN) ×260% David Janovsky ×260% Chuck Schumer ×280% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×280% Congress ×580% Donald Trump ×390% United States ×690% Venezuela ×690%

Keywords

us military action 90% venezuela 90% congress 80% war powers resolution 70% unilateral military action 60% presidential overreach 60% donald trump 50% us constitution 50% un charter 40%