In a direct response to President Donald Trump's recent military actions and renewed expansionist threats, Senate Democrats are launching a legislative offensive aimed at curbing his warmaking authority. The move follows a dramatic US raid in Venezuela and the President's revived ambition to acquire Greenland, potentially by force.
Legislative Pushback After Caracas Operation
The political firestorm was ignited by a stunning military operation over the weekend of January 3-4, 2026, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. They now face drug trafficking charges in New York, though Maduro has pleaded not guilty and claims he is a prisoner of war.
Capitalising on the momentum of this event, Senator Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, announced a War Powers resolution on Tuesday 06 January 2026. Its explicit goal is to block the President from using military force in an attempt to seize Greenland. This came after President Trump, on Sunday, reiterated his desire for the US to take over the Danish territory and refused to rule out using the military to achieve it.
"Trump is on a high from his illegal operation in Venezuela and is bragging about potentially sending our young men and women into more stupid wars of conquest. Greenland could be next," Senator Gallego wrote on social media platform X. He accused the President of seeking "unnecessary military action... just to soothe the ego of a power hungry wannabe dictator."
An Uphill Battle in a Divided Senate
Simultaneously, the Senate is scheduled to vote on Thursday 08 January 2026 on a separate resolution designed to prevent further unauthorised US military strikes inside Venezuela. However, both measures face formidable political obstacles.
The Senate remains under Republican control, and the party's leadership has largely rallied behind the President. Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed the notion of a Greenland invasion as "not something that anybody is contemplating seriously." Furthermore, the GOP caucus would need to supply at least four defectors for either resolution to pass, assuming unified Democratic support—a tall order.
Complicating matters, some Democrats have broken ranks. Senator John Fetterman voiced support for the Venezuela raid and called the legal acquisition of Greenland "strategically a smart thing," though he opposed taking it by force. His stance on Gallego's resolution remains uncertain.
Diplomatic Fallout and Veto Power
The escalating rhetoric has caused significant diplomatic strain. Denmark's Prime Minister warned that a US invasion of Greenland would mean the end of the NATO alliance. Republican critic Rep. Don Bacon lamented the damage to vital alliances, calling the threats "really dumb" and stating they "are causing wounds that will take time to heal."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained a hardline position, stating on Tuesday that utilising the U.S. Military is always an option for the Commander in Chief and that acquiring Greenland is a "national security priority."
Even if the Democratic-led resolutions were to pass the Senate, President Trump holds a powerful trump card: the veto. Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, a threshold currently seen as unattainable for the opposition. The legislative battle underscores the deep tensions between the executive and legislative branches over the authority to commit the nation to war.
