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Democratic senators file war powers resolution to check Trump on Cuba

Democratic senators file war powers resolution to check Trump on Cuba
Does President Trump have the power to attack Iran, and can Congress stop it? We know those are some of the questions *** lot of you are asking. Well, here on Capitol Hill, we know that lawmakers are gearing up for what's called *** war powers vote, essentially to check President Trump's power when it comes to this military action against Iran. So let's give you some context and explain how it works. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. But in 1973, in the wake of the Vietnam War, Congress enacted the War Powers Resolution or the War Powers Act, in an effort to share that power using collective judgment when deploying troops that allows presidents to take action under certain circumstances, including *** formal declaration of war, Congress passing *** specific law allowing it, or *** direct attack on the US president. Since Gerald Ford has used this force and not claimed an emergency but has done it anyways, many members of Congress are saying enough is enough. This power has gone too far. The law also requires the president to consult lawmakers in every possible instance, meaning once troops are deployed, the president has 48 hours to send *** written explanation to Congress. President Trump, by the way, did do that earlier today. If Congress does not give explicit authorization within 60 to 90 days, the resolution then requires the President to stop all military action. But the law lacks teeth. Even if Congress were able to pass *** more narrow resolution checking President Trump's power, he could still veto it, and overriding that veto will require *** 2/3 majority from Congress, essentially making this vote more symbolic than anything.
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Updated: 8:46 PM EDT Mar 13, 2026
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Democratic senators file war powers resolution to check Trump on Cuba
AP logo
Updated: 8:46 PM EDT Mar 13, 2026
Editorial Standards
Senate Democrats have filed legislation that would prevent the U.S. from attacking Cuba without congressional approval as they seek to force a vote on President Donald Trump's stated goal of a "takeover" of the Caribbean country.Democrats have repeatedly used war powers resolutions to force debate on Trump's foreign policy moves, though Republicans have so far mostly backed the president. The resolution filed Thursday by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff would require the president to remove the military from any hostilities with Cuba and could potentially receive a vote by the end of the month."Only Congress has the power to declare war under the Constitution, but he operates with the belief that the U.S. military is a palace guard, ordering military action in the Caribbean, Venezuela, and Iran without Congress' authorization or any explanation for his actions to the American people," Kaine said in a statement.Trump said earlier this week that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating with Cuba's leadership as the country faces a crippling energy crisis that has been exacerbated by a U.S. blockade of the island."It may be a friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover," Trump told reporters this week at a news conference in Florida. He added that he and Rubio would focus on that goal after the war with Iran.The U.S. for decades has had a tense relationship with Cuba, but Trump's turn to using military action to take out foreign opponents has raised anticipations that the island could be next. Rubio, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in the 1950s, has long pushed for the U.S. to aggressively oppose the Caribbean nation's leadership. Rubio told senators earlier this year that the Trump administration would "love" to see a Cuban regime change, but cautioned that "does not mean we are going to provoke it directly." Republicans in Congress have mostly stood behind the Trump administration's aggressive foreign policyHowever, Democrats have turned repeatedly to war powers resolutions in order to force debates over how Trump can use military force in foreign nations. They have not succeeded in passing any of the resolutions so far, but the tactic at times has compelled the Trump administration to explain its goals to Congress.Democrats are also planning next week to potentially force votes on a series of war powers resolutions that apply to Iran unless Republicans agree to hold public hearings on the conflict."He ran on America First, but now it's clear he's become a puppet of the war hawks in his party," Gallego said in a statement.

Senate Democrats have filed legislation that would prevent the U.S. from attacking Cuba without congressional approval as they seek to force a vote on President Donald Trump's stated goal of a "takeover" of the Caribbean country.

Democrats have repeatedly used war powers resolutions to force debate on Trump's foreign policy moves, though Republicans have so far mostly backed the president. The resolution filed Thursday by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff would require the president to remove the military from any hostilities with Cuba and could potentially receive a vote by the end of the month.

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"Only Congress has the power to declare war under the Constitution, but he operates with the belief that the U.S. military is a palace guard, ordering military action in the Caribbean, Venezuela, and Iran without Congress' authorization or any explanation for his actions to the American people," Kaine said in a statement.

Trump said earlier this week that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating with Cuba's leadership as the country faces a crippling energy crisis that has been exacerbated by a U.S. blockade of the island.

"It may be a friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover," Trump told reporters this week at a news conference in Florida. He added that he and Rubio would focus on that goal after the war with Iran.

The U.S. for decades has had a tense relationship with Cuba, but Trump's turn to using military action to take out foreign opponents has raised anticipations that the island could be next. Rubio, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in the 1950s, has long pushed for the U.S. to aggressively oppose the Caribbean nation's leadership.

Rubio told senators earlier this year that the Trump administration would "love" to see a Cuban regime change, but cautioned that "does not mean we are going to provoke it directly." Republicans in Congress have mostly stood behind the Trump administration's aggressive foreign policy

However, Democrats have turned repeatedly to war powers resolutions in order to force debates over how Trump can use military force in foreign nations. They have not succeeded in passing any of the resolutions so far, but the tactic at times has compelled the Trump administration to explain its goals to Congress.

Democrats are also planning next week to potentially force votes on a series of war powers resolutions that apply to Iran unless Republicans agree to hold public hearings on the conflict.

"He ran on America First, but now it's clear he's become a puppet of the war hawks in his party," Gallego said in a statement.

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