Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is facing backlash from the MAGA base after voting with Democrats and a small group of Republican senators to advance a war powers resolution related to Venezuela. (Chip Somodevilla)
Days later, on Jan. 8, the Senate advanced a bipartisan war powers resolution by a 52–47 vote that would require the president to seek congressional authorization before engaging U.S. armed forces in "hostilities within or against Venezuela." The procedural vote set up a full Senate vote slated for Wednesday.
Hawley joined Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Todd Young, R-Ind., in voting with Democrats to require Trump obtain congressional approval prior to military action in Venezuela, sparking condemnation and surprise from the MAGA base on social media earlier in January.
"The Republicans who sided with Democrats today on the War Powers resolution are STUPID & WEAK," former campaign aide Alex Bruesewitz posted to X following the procedural vote. "It came as no surprise to see Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, or Todd Young vote against President Trump, they've all shown clear signs of Trump Derangement Syndrome in the past."
Bruesewitz added that he was "surprised and disappointed" by Hawley for aligning "himself with the anti-Trump faction and Democrats, particularly since he represents Missouri, one of the most staunchly pro-Trump states in the nation."
"Shameful," he added.
Hawley previously defended his procedural vote by framing it as a constitutional issue rather than a rebuke of the administration.
"My read of the Constitution is that if the President feels the need to put boots on the ground there in the future, Congress would need to vote on it," Hawley posted to X explaining the vote.
Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro addresses supporters in Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 10, 2025. (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images)
"This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief," he wrote earlier in January. "In any event, and despite their ‘stupidity,’ the War Powers Act is Unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me."
MAGA allies echoed Trump's Truth Social message in their own posts, describing Hawley as a "RINO" whose political career is allegedly teetering over the vote.
"President Trump ERUPTS on the Republican senators who just voted to approve the War Powers resolution that would rein in his Venezuela operations, says NEVER ELECT THEM AGAIN," Eric Daughtery posted to X Jan. 8.
"Remember this in November. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again! We are sick of compromised GOP dirtbags going against our President," another MAGA-aligned social media account, Farm Girl Carrie, posted.
Hawley told Fox News Tuesday, when asked how he plans to vote, that he's spoken with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and DOJ officials about his top concern of having American troops on the ground.
He said they "assured me there are no ground troops in Venezuela" and that there "are not going to be ground troops in Venezuela."
"My big concern has been ground troops in Venezuela and, making sure that if there's going to be ground troops in Venezuela, (which) I would hope we would not do, that Congress authorizes that. But I will tell you, I've talked to the president. I talked to the secretary of state. I talked to the Department of Justice here in the last few days and have had tremendous conversations in the Secretary of State, who I just talked to recently, assured me there are no ground troops in Venezuela. There are not going to be ground troops in Venezuela," he said. "The administration will notify Congress, will seek congressional approval where necessary."
Hawley has drawn Trump’s ire before, including during a fight over Hawley’s stock-trading ban proposal in July. Trump, who previously said he liked the idea "conceptually," accused Hawley of siding with Democrats to block a GOP-backed effort tied to reviewing Nancy Pelosi’s stock trading.
"Why would one ‘Republican,’ Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Trading over the last 25 years. The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the Vote — Very much like SABOTAGE!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, speaks to the press following U.S. military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Jan. 3, 2026. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
"The polling I've seen shows that Republicans are in favor of the president's actions in Venezuela," the sourced added. "He would be out of step with our voters. I don't think it'd bode well for him. I think this was one of the most unifying moments on the right, when the president successfully arrested Maduro and took him out the country. Him siding with the Democrats is bizarre."
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"How has that worked out for Rand Paul or Massie," the operative said, referring to Kentucky lawmakers' ongoing policy spats with the president and administration.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/looming-war-powers-senate-vote-ramps-up-pressure-hawley-after-maga-backlash