Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a sharp warning on Monday, pledging to swiftly introduce a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to block any deployment of U.S. troops to Venezuela should President Donald Trump order military action against the country.

Speaking from the Senate floor, the New York Democrat insisted that Congress must prevent the administration from drawing American forces into hostilities without legislative approval.

“Should a strike occur, we will force a debate in Congress and force a vote to prevent U.S. troops from being in hostilities against Venezuela,” Schumer said. “Our troops’ safety and our national security are at stake.”

Schumer’s remarks came two days after Trump posted a message on Truth Social declaring Venezuela’s airspace “CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY” and advising commercial airlines and pilots to avoid the region. The warning ignited concerns that the administration may be preparing for additional strikes following recent U.S. operations against vessels off Venezuela’s coast that Washington claims were involved in narcotics trafficking.

The Trump administration has faced mounting scrutiny after reports surfaced that U.S. forces conducted a second strike in September on survivors of a vessel previously targeted in the Caribbean.

Trump has maintained that he possesses full authority to carry out such operations to defend the United States from drug cartels. But lawmakers from both parties warn that any broader military escalation—especially one involving Venezuelan territory—requires explicit authorization from Congress.

Schumer accused the administration of moving toward conflict “in secret” and warned that the American public is “sick to their stomachs” at the prospect of being drawn into another foreign war.

“All it takes is one lapse in judgment from either side, and suddenly our troops could find themselves in an armed conflict with Venezuela,” he cautioned.

The Senate leader also took aim at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, denouncing the former television host as “so obviously insecure” and accusing him of treating military decisions as political theatrics.

“This man is a national embarrassment,” Schumer said, referencing Hegseth’s role in authorizing the controversial strike that killed shipwrecked survivors in the Caribbean.

The debate on Capitol Hill continues to intensify as lawmakers grapple with growing concerns over the limits of presidential authority. Legislators from both parties are now under renewed pressure to clarify the boundaries of executive war powers and ensure any escalation toward Venezuela undergoes congressional scrutiny before American troops are put at risk. (ILKHA)