By Karoun Demirjian Karoun Demirjian Congressional reporter focusing on national security Email Bio Follow May 24 at 2:23 PM Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified lawmakers Friday that President Trump is invoking his emergency authority to sidestep Congress and complete 22 arms deals worth approximately $8 billion that would benefit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries, despite lawmakers’ objections to the transactions.
Both Republicans and Democrats urged the Trump administration this week not to take the rare step of declaring an emergency to push through arms deals that lawmakers have blocked, including a controversial sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia that some lawmakers fear may be used against civilians in the war-torn country of Yemen.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Sen. Robert Menendez , who had been blocking that sale, said in a statement Friday that in making the move, Trump “failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia.”
“The Administration failed to even identify which legal mechanism it thinks it is using, described years of malign Iranian behavior but failed to identify what actually constitutes an emergency today, and critically, failed to explain how these systems, many of which will take years to come online, would immediately benefit either the United States or our allies and thus merit such hasty action,” Menendez continued, accusing Trump of “destroying” relations between Congress and the executive...
In a statement, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. James E. Risch said that he was “reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications.”
In ecumenical points of view Iran is the best ally for USA. Iran beeing in the Middle East, has developed the economy of USA.
What Congress is doing in regards to the war happening in Yemen is not helpful... The Iranian regime is working to destroy Yemen and destabilize the whole region!
This not sidestepping! This is supporting a fellow ally in defeating a terrorist organization! Unfortunately congress has become so politicized that this obvious fact is not considered. SaudiArabia
This so dangerous for America someone in congress needs to stop him NOW!
Check out how much Trump’s family business made from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, the country that exports terrorists but was not included on the list of banned immigration from that region?
Selling out.
what about human rights, it's ok to chop up journalist, fckn ferrals...
Why why follow the $$$$ realDonaldTrump you are corrupt individual 🧘🏾♀️
He's most welcome to make money what good it does for the world is a zero, he's thriving with Saudi money someday the same weapons will land at your doorstep
Does anyone remember that the 9/11 terrorists were most all Saudi Arabian and that evidence suggests the Saudi govt helped finance those attack’s? And now Trump’s alliance. Truly Treasonous
Killing Yemeni people suddenly became a national emergency?! I can't help wondering if Republicans will continue to pretend this is all just dandy.
Why are we selling arms to the country that attacked us on 9/11 ?
BFF! Barf!
Calme down it’s everybody’s benefit. Don’t you ever heard about Common interests? money and take something back. You must know if you’re the one there you’ll do the same for your kids future as well your present. Don’t let Propaganda media manipulate your minds. Good luck
Selling arms to assassin is not smart idea.
And thus begins WWIII...
Macron, President of France: “EmmanuelMacron on new arms sale to Saudi-Arabia: 'Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are allies of France and allies in the fight against terrorism. We accept responsibility for that'
This dude shows UTTER CONTEMPT for the rule of law and common procedure. And yet, Pelosi acts as if she and the Democratic Party shouldn’t even consider impeaching this POS? NOBODY works for THE PEOPLE.
Arming Trumps allies for war against Iran. WW3 will kill many including Americans. America are you supporting this aggression?
I will destabilize the Middle East for money. He would sell Melania for money and jobs
💲💲💲 the only other place besides Russia to give him and Jared money. Quid Pro Quo. Give us weapons and we will bail out you and you son in law soon
How is that different than someone giving Iran a billion in cash or agreeing to an accord without senate approval?
So how many nuclear ICBM’s are in this package? It would not surprise me one bit. American Arm sales are becoming the Dollar Discount Store for Autocrats wanting U.S. weapons.
Has a very bad smell.
WLD01 There are so many things wrong with this where to even begin....
AgentofChaos in the White House
TRUMP GOP KILLS CONGRESS TO HAVE DECISION MAKING, FUNDING, AND TRUE OVERSITE, TAKES CONGRESS OUT OF THE PICTURE!!! TAKES CONTROL OF BATION AS DICTATOR!!!!
Where is GOP congressional outrage? SenateGOP GOPLeader marcorubio RepMcCaul -anyone still standing for separation of powers and representation of your constituents?
The same country that produced the majority of the 9/11 terrorists along while recently brutally murdering Jamal Khashoggi. Don’t see any point in giving them any weapons in today’s world.
I hope the GOP is writing down all these blatant, unchecked abuses of power by their glorious leader. I don't want to hear one single complaint when the next Democratic president makes the same power plays.
At least he is bringing money in, not sending it out in bags in the middle of the night! NoHateJustTruth
Trump is using the same abuse of power over Congress he did with women; they let me do what I want, Trump said.
Such a wise president fixing the Congressmen chaos every time they screw up.
and here everyone was worried about Russia.
JacekJasinski This is utter contempt for how our country works!
Remember, he gets along great with dictators. A case in point.
So what is this National Emergency? The Saudi’s will call in Jared’s loans if the arms deal doesn’t get done? YOU DO RECALL THEY GOT AWAY WITH MURDER OF A US CITIZEN!!!
Some day the UAE may turn those weapons on the USA.
Sidesteps Congress? Seriously how much more are we going to tolerate from the deranged dictator Trump? ALL of this is to ultimately line both his pockets and Kushner’s pockets. This man must be stopped before there is nothing left of our democracy.
OF COURSE THE LAWLESS FOOLS WILL SIDESTEP CONGRESS AND THE LIKES OF GRAHAM AND MCCONNEL WILL LET HIM. THEN, THE SAUDI PRINCE, WHO LIKES TO KILL, WILL USE THESE WEAPONS AGAINST US. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR REPUBS TO WAKE UP!
let the strongly worded tweets from democrats commence. GOP, nothing more expected from you. Enjoy the long weekend.
Taking Executive Privilege to Executive Junta.
Does this nation understand that realDonaldTrump never acts in good faith, just what is best for him?
This is not a presidency. It's a junta.
Misrules, twisting laws & ignoring ethics r principles take place everywhere,USA no exception, so long ends justify means.Saudi,UAE like many neighboring littoral gulf client regimes have always got away with butchery be in their own fiefdoms or of their making elsewhere “9/11!
This is Trump trying to act like a king. We should fear the man who believes he is one. Republicans please do not vote the party line in 2020! You all know he must go. Vote for your favorite Dem! Thanks and peace.
It is time to impeach Trump. He has no respect for rules, regulations and laws.
Birds of a feather.
Good, Congress is impotent
Wait you cant just sidestep the laws and constitution with some executive order...oh wait, I'm sorry, I thought this 2012 and we were talking about DACA.
Trump's handlers are very happy, Trump's the meat puppet they've been waiting for. All greed & no substance.
Saudi’s advance radical Islamic terrorism. With our involvement bomb civilians in Yemen. It’s time to bring our troops home. SA would love nothing more than to use us in a confrontation with Iran.
Here’s your order of bone saws
justinamash
Trump Hotel Doctrine
Pompeo has lost his credibility because of his lying for the President. He, Bolden, and Trump trying to start a war with Iran in order to sell arms and get attention off of Trump's corrupt Administration and Trump's obstruction charges. Do not start a phony war!
More bombs for the Saudi's to continue war with Yemen and a weapons build up if Trump wages war on Iran with Saudi assistance.
GOP - any thoughts on Trump Administration thwarting the will of Americans’ elected representatives?
This Nation is becoming a 'Regime' instead of a 'Democracy'... Let's call it what it is. Trump refuses to uphold the Constitution in broad daylight, Respect Co-Equal Branch of Govt. It's Autocratic, drip_drop!
Stop this!
So isn't this one more thing Trump could be singularly impeached for? We know the Saudi's protected the murderer of a contributor to your newspaper. So he's rewarding them now? When will the house move towards at least an impeachment inquiry?
🖕🏽Cheeto and all who support this! It will start WW 3🤦🏽♀️🤬
This is abuse of power, playing and simple. Add it to the obstruction of justice count.
couldn’t be giving them to more ethical people
Unconstitutional! Don't let DerangedDonald sell the Usage the river! Don the Con is so corrupt. Something MUST get done to stop this maniac! He's killing the democracy in the USA!
Everything this president does is circumventing the Law? What about all the previous presidents..attempted assassination of Fidel Castro, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy...
Can someone remind me how many of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi’s? What’s that you say? 19? Hmmmm 🙄
US Scums deliver weapons to Middle East Tschakals 🤢🤢
I MEANING OF I 1:29 FOR UAE (THEN SAW TIME & ADDED B4 ON) & ABOUT YEAR ON 185 C(COUNT) H RIST INE HOPE GRE(ME GEER) (ORDER) GO RYSCOTTHOUSER MEANS I OUSTER 29 I CJOSE THE YEAR 2019&1 I ON 206 SCOTT HU TSENPI LLA R 19 197 CSD MEANS MAY 19 2019 I H ID PROVED
Great. This way they can use these weapons against us when the next administration tries to get everything back under control. I don't know when enough is going to be enough.
Who would have guessed after turning a blind eye to Saudi after murdering a journalist, this would happen?
The Emergency? Maybe fewer BUTCHER PRINCE dollars to sRUMPTDUMBT? Fewer apartment deals?
How does he get away with this crap? Where are the checks and balances?
Isn’t this official terrorist sponsorship when a bipartisan congress says no?!
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