WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans blocked a procedural vote on a Democratic resolution that sought to prevent President Donald Trump from launching a military attack on Cuba, arguing that the United States is not engaged in hostilities with the island. The measure, introduced in March by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, was brought to the floor by Senate Democrats in an effort to force a vote on restricting the president's authority to use military force against Cuba.

The outcome followed a pattern set by more than half a dozen similar votes related to military action in Venezuela and Iran, in which most Republicans voted down restrictions on military action and defended the president's authority to use force. Kaine has spearheaded efforts in the Senate to rein in Trump on Venezuela and Iran.

"I've never heard the suggestion that Cuba poses an imminent security threat to the United States," Kaine said on the Senate floor. He argued that the U.S. is already engaged in hostilities with Cuba, citing the Trump administration's oil blockade on the island. "The U.S. is using force to block energy from going to Cuba," Kaine said.

Earlier this month, Trump said military action against Cuba remained on the table. "We may stop by Cuba after we're finished with this," he said.

The administration has said it is looking to resolve its concerns with Cuba through diplomacy but has not ruled out some kind of military action. A delegation of senior State Department representatives traveled to Cuba earlier this month, and a U.S. government plane landed on the island for the first time since President Barack Obama traveled there in 2016. A State Department official said Trump is open to resolving the U.S.'s concerns through diplomacy. "He will not let the island collapse into a major national security threat if Cuba's leaders are unwilling or unable to act," the official said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified to Congress in January that "we would love to see the regime there change." Cuban leadership has said the country is ready to fight any U.S. aggression.