Defying Congress, Trump sets $8bn-plus in weapons sales to KSA, UAE
US President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency
because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday
to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
The Trump administration informed congressional committees
that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab
Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing
precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales.
Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive
military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months,
angry about the huge civilian toll from their air campaign in Yemen, as well as
human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a
Saudi consulate in Turkey.
Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week
that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the
sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in arms control
law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency.
“President Trump is only using this loophole because he
knows Congress would disapprove... There is no new ‘emergency’ reason to sell
bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the
humanitarian crisis there,” said Senator Chris Murphy.
Murphy, a Democrat, made public on Twitter on Wednesday that
Trump was considering the loophole in the Arms Control Export Act to clear the
sales.