Democratic senators file war powers resolution to check Trump on Cuba
[March 13, 2026]
By STEPHEN GROVES
WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.
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Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a press briefing on the Iran
war powers resolution at the Capitol, March 9, 2026, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)
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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