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The US Senate on Tuesday voted 51-47 to block a Democratic-led resolution that would have barred President Donald Trump from ordering military action against Cuba without congressional approval, according to multiple outlets. The largely party-line vote on a procedural measure effectively kills the Cuba War Powers Resolution, which had been introduced by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Ruben Gallego.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera, The Hindu, and the South China Morning Post all described the vote as a setback for Democratic efforts to assert congressional authority over military actions. Dawn, which covered the resolution before the vote, framed it as part of a broader pattern of congressional struggles to constrain executive war powers. The South China Morning Post offered a more analytical take, suggesting the vote "does not change policy on its own" but reinforces that Trump retains "wide latitude to escalate economic or military pressure on Havana."

Key claims

  • The Senate voted 51-47 to block the war powers resolution, according to Al Jazeera and The Hindu. The vote fell almost entirely along party lines, as reported by The Hindu.
  • Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Cuba, saying "Cuba is next," a quote reported by Dawn, Al Jazeera, and The Hindu. He has not specified what action he might take, according to Dawn.
  • The US has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba that has contributed to power outages and rising food prices, according to Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post. The measures have disrupted oil flows, particularly from Venezuela, the South China Morning Post reported.
  • The US Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war, but this does not apply to short-term operations or responses to immediate threats, according to Dawn's reporting.
  • Democrats have repeatedly tried to force Trump to obtain congressional authorization before launching military operations, but have failed in both chambers, Dawn reported.

Perspectives

Democratic perspective

Senator Kaine argued that US actions against Cuba would be considered "an act of war" if directed against the US, as quoted by Al Jazeera. Schiff stated that Trump's "saber rattling toward Cuba makes clear where his sights are next," according to Dawn.

Republican perspective

Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who introduced the point of order that stopped the resolution, argued that a war powers vote was inappropriate because Trump has not deployed troops against Havana, Al Jazeera reported. Scott also said the "illegitimate Castro/Diaz-Canel regime must fall," expressing hope for a "new day of freedom" under Trump's leadership.

White House position

The White House maintains that Trump's actions are within his rights as commander-in-chief to protect the US by ordering limited military operations, as reported by Dawn. Congressional Republicans accused Democrats of filing the resolutions only to score political points, the report added.

Outlook

The Biden-era policy debates over Cuba have given way to a more aggressive posture under Trump, the South China Morning Post noted. With Congress failing to impose checks, the centre of gravity in US policy towards Cuba has shifted to the White House, and the "more consequential question" now is what comes next, the report said. Experts quoted by the South China Morning Post described the situation as a "stalemate," with most pressure tools already in play but no clear path to an outcome.