Democratic Senators Introduce War Powers Resolution to Examine Trump on Cuba

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that would prevent the United States from attacking Cuba without congressional approval as they seek to force a vote on President Donald Trump’s stated goal of “taking over” the Caribbean nation.

Democrats have repeatedly used war powers resolutions to force debate over Trump’s foreign policy moves, though Republicans have mostly supported the president so far. The resolution introduced by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff on Thursday would require the president to remove the military from any hostilities with Cuba and would likely be voted on by the end of the month.

Read more: The Cuban President says that recent talks were held with the United States to resolve differences

“Congress alone has the authority to declare war under the Constitution, but it operates under the belief that the U.S. military is the palace guardian, ordering military action in the Caribbean, Venezuela, and Iran without congressional authorization or any explanation of its actions to the American people,” Kaine said in a statement.

Trump said earlier this week that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is negotiating with the Cuban leadership as the country faces a stifling energy crisis exacerbated by the US 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 will focus on this goal after the war with Iran.

The US relationship with Cuba has been tense for decades, but Trump’s shift to using military action to eliminate foreign dissidents has raised expectations that the island could be next. Rubio, whose family immigrated to the United States from Cuba in the 1950s, has long urged the United States to strongly oppose the Caribbean nation’s leadership.

He watches: Trump indicated that the United States and Cuba would reach an agreement soon, after Rubio was “done” with Iran

Rubio told senators earlier this year that the Trump administration would “love” to see a change in the Cuban regime, but warned that “doesn’t mean we’re going to directly provoke him.” Republicans in Congress have mostly stood behind the Trump administration’s aggressive foreign policy

However, Democrats have repeatedly invoked war powers resolutions in order to force discussions about how Trump would use military force in foreign countries. They have not succeeded in passing any of the resolutions so far, but the tactic has sometimes forced the Trump administration to explain its goals to Congress.

Democrats also plan 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 under the slogan of America First, but it is now clear that he has become a puppet of the war hawks in his party,” Gallego said in a statement.