Senate Democrats attempted Tuesday to force a vote on legislation aimed at preventing President Trump from launching military action against Cuba. The move was prompted by Trump’s repeated threats of intervention in the country, following his unilateral actions against Venezuela and Iran.
Republicans blocked the procedural vote, arguing that the U.S. is not engaged in hostilities with Cuba. GOP Sen. Rick Scott stated the issue is “moot.”
The resolution was introduced in March by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who has been leading efforts to curb Trump’s actions on Venezuela and Iran. Over half a dozen votes related to military action against these countries have resulted in similar outcomes, with most Republicans voting down restrictions on military action.
Kaine argued that the U.S. is already engaged in hostilities with Cuba through an oil blockade that has devastated civilians. He stated that the U.S. would consider the blockade an act of war if the roles were reversed.
Cuban leadership maintains readiness to fight any U.S. aggression, while Trump remains open to resolving U.S. concerns through diplomacy but insists on preventing a major national security threat in Cuba should leaders fail to act.