Members of the Democratic Alliance filed a war resolution to block Trump from Cuba

Washington – Members of the 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 Trump’s intention to “occupy” the Caribbean country.

Democrats have repeatedly used military power decisions to force a debate about Mr. Trump’s foreign policy moves. The decision filed Thursday by Sens. Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff will demand that the president withdraw troops from any conflict with Cuba and may get a vote by the end of the month.

“Only Congress has the power to declare war under the Constitution, but he is operating under the belief that the US military is a palace guard, ordering war in the Caribbean, Venezuela, and Iran without Congressional authorization or any explanation for his actions to the American people,” Kaine said in a statement.

Mr. Trump said that at the beginning of this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was discussing with the leadership of Cuba as the country is facing an electricity problem aggravated by the blockade of the United States on the island.

“It may be a friendly reception, it may not be a friendly reception,” said Mr. Trump told reporters this week at a press conference in Florida. He added that he and Rubio will focus on that goal after the war with Iran.

The president of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed on Friday that Cuban officials have recently held talks with the US government aimed at addressing long-standing tensions between the two countries, although he cautioned that any potential agreement is still in its early stages.

“Cuban officials have recently held talks with American government officials to look for solutions to the current disagreement,” said Diaz-Canel in a press conference Friday morning.

He noted that such communication is not unprecedented and pointed to similar conversations during the administration of former President Barack Obama.

Díaz-Canel said the purpose of these talks is to identify “bilateral problems that need solutions based on their severity and impact” and to find solutions to them.

The United States has had a tense relationship with Cuba for decades, but Mr. Trump’s use of war to oust foreign dissidents has made it clear that the island could be next. Rubio, whose family immigrated to the US from Cuba in the 1950s, has long called for the US to challenge the Caribbean nation’s leadership.

Rubio told leaders earlier this year that the Trump administration would “like” to see regime change in Cuba, but cautioned that “it doesn’t mean we’re going to directly provoke it.” Republicans in Congress have been following the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

However, Democrats have repeatedly turned to war power decisions to force a debate on whether Mr. How can Trump use war on foreign countries. They haven’t succeeded in passing any resolutions so far, but the strategy has sometimes forced the Trump administration to explain its intentions to Congress.

Democrats also plan to force votes on a series of military sanctions aimed at Iran, unless Republicans agree to hold public hearings on the conflict.

He once ran for America First, but now it is clear that he has become a puppet of a hawk in his team,” said Gallego in a statement.