Twin earthquakes in Venezuela left at least 164 people dead and nearly 1,000 injured as rescuers search for survivors. In Washington, President Donald Trump sparred with Sen. Bill Cassidy over an Iran war powers dispute, then saw Republicans flip again in a la
When the ground split in Venezuela, it didn’t give responders even a moment to catch their breath. Two major earthquakes struck just 39 seconds apart on Wednesday night—first a 7.5 magnitude quake, then another at 7.2—turning one disaster into a sequence of shocks.
Venezuela’s acting president declared a state of emergency after the first quake hit less than a minute before the second. Officials said the earthquakes have killed at least 164 people and injured 971 others. with the death toll expected to rise as search crews continue digging through collapsed buildings. The coastal state of La Guaira appeared to be hit hardest. with dozens of buildings collapsing. the main international airport still closed after part of its roof caved in. and metro and rail service suspended.
Hours later, the shaking played out in a different kind of arena. Trump was on the National Mall speaking at a rally, and he referenced Venezuela while discussing the U.S. capture of former president Nicolás Maduro—without mentioning the earthquakes as he addressed the crowd. “In one hour, Venezuela was finished,” Trump said. “In a flawless and breathtaking operation earlier this year. America’s armed forces captured the outlaw dictator of Venezuela. Nicolás Maduro. and brought him back to face American justice. One of the great military raids in history. if you remember.” After the rally. he posted on Truth Social that the United States stands ready to help. saying he had directed federal agencies to “get ready to move quickly.”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, traveling in Bahrain, later said the U.S. would deploy search-and-rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian aid.
While the earthquake response was still unfolding, Washington’s political temperature rose in a separate emergency: a fight over Iran and war powers. Trump went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday hoping to rally Republicans around his agenda, but he ended up in a heated exchange with Sen. Bill Cassidy.
The president spent more than an hour behind closed doors with Senate Republicans. and the confrontation focused on why four Republicans joined Democrats in backing a war powers resolution aiming to block him from further military action in Iran. Cassidy pushed back, saying lawmakers still haven’t received a full briefing on the war or its objectives. According to people in the room, the exchange escalated quickly with both men raising their voices.
Cassidy later told reporters he makes “no apologies” for standing up to the president. “He didn’t particularly care for my comments, raised his voice. I lost my temper,” Cassidy said. “It’s the Irish in me. But again, I matched his tone and his volume, and it went back and forth.”
The clash landed inside a wider strain between Trump and some Senate Republicans over Iran. the SAVE Act. and Trump’s decision to put a bipartisan housing bill on hold until Congress acts on his election reform priorities. Even after the fireworks, Trump emerged from the meeting calling it a success. “I think we had a really great meeting, and we’re very proud of the party,” Trump said. “We like our leader, we like everybody really in the room. I don’t like a few people, but that’s okay. I think you know who they are. But I’ll give you that information someday. But for the most part, we have a really well-unified party.”.
Trump also pressed Republicans to pass the SAVE Act, a bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, even as GOP leaders continue to say it doesn’t have the votes to pass the Senate.
Just hours after that tense meeting, another war powers vote moved in Trump’s favor. In a late-night vote. Senate Republicans blocked another resolution that would have required Trump to get congressional approval before taking more military action against Iran. The reversal came less than a day after four Republicans joined Democrats in backing a similar measure.
This time, only Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted with Democrats. Trump quickly celebrated the result on Truth Social, singling out Sen. Bill Cassidy for changing his vote and saying the decision put “Iran on notice.” Cassidy said he only switched positions after a reassuring meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I want to thank Vice President Vance and Special Envoy Witkoff for the thorough briefing this afternoon on Iran. I appreciate the quick invitation to the White House to address many of my concerns.”— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) June 25, 2026
Sen. Rand Paul, who also changed his vote to present, said his decision followed Wednesday’s lunch with the president.
The new Senate vote did not change the House War Powers Resolution, which the Senate approved Tuesday, and it remains in place, though largely symbolic.
The same day also brought a quieter but consequential legal blow for the administration—one tied directly to voter information. The Trump administration lost another court fight over its effort to obtain detailed voter information from states nationwide.
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Michigan does not have to hand over sensitive voter information to the Justice Department. The administration had sought unredacted voter files from dozens of states, including birth dates, driver’s license numbers and partial social security numbers.
In a 2-1 decision. the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 1960 civil rights law cited by the Justice Department does not authorize it to demand the records. It’s the first appeals court to weigh in on the issue. “Back then. the government used this power to ensure that everyone who had the right to vote could freely exercise that right. ” Judge Andre Mathis said. writing for the majority. “But today. the government invokes Title III for an inverse purpose: to ensure that some people have not voted.” The Justice Department continues to say the data is needed to verify voter eligibility. while Michigan and other states argue that turning it over would compromise voter privacy.
With politics and courts churning, the White House also pushed a policy shift aimed at motorists. Trump’s administration is pushing to make a popular ethanol-gas blend fuel available year-round. It has formally asked Congress to allow E15 to be sold nationwide year-round. including the request in a supplemental package sent to lawmakers late Wednesday.
The fuel blend contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. It’s currently available only during part of the year under temporary Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers. Under current EPA rules. E15 is generally restricted during the summer because it evaporates more quickly in hot weather. which can contribute to smog.
Supporters say E15 often sells for about 25 cents less per gallon than regular gasoline. giving drivers a cheaper option at the pump. Refiners have long opposed the change, saying it could raise costs and complicate fuel distribution. Chuck Grassley posted that the administration is “exactly right” about year-round nationwide E15 being “urgent” and “needed. ” adding that Congress must pass it by the end of fiscal year and describing E15 as “ENERGY SECURITY” and “NATL SECURITY. ” in connection with the Defense Department’s supplemental request.
The proposal now heads to Congress, where its path forward in the Senate remains uncertain.
All of it unfolded on a single Thursday calendar—earthquake rubble in Venezuela and a war powers back-and-forth on Capitol Hill. a court restricting federal access to voter data. and a policy push to change what’s sold at the pump. For the people dealing with the immediate aftermath of the tremors, the stakes are measured in hours and injuries. For lawmakers, they’re measured in votes, legal rulings, and the speed of whatever comes next.
Venezuela earthquakes Donald Trump Senate war powers Iran Bill Cassidy JD Vance Steve Witkoff Michigan voter data Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals E15 year-round sales