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Senate Votes to Block Trump’s Emergency Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia

The resolutions, which will head to the House, failed to pass with a veto-proof majority.

The Senate voted to block President Trump’s arms sales benefitting Saudi Arabia on Thursday, but failed to obtain the majority needed to override a veto. Legislators voted on two of three total resolutions aiming to block Trump’s sales, passing them 53-45 and coming in 14 votes shy of securing a veto-proof majority. Seven Republicans supported the resolutions against Trump, which received unanimous backing from Senate Democrats. Trump, who is aiming to use his emergency authority to bypass Congress in order to complete 22 arms deals to Saudi Arabia and other countries, has used recent tensions with Iran as a reason to pursue the deals, which involve the selling of bombs, missile systems, and drones. The sale is estimated to be worth $8 billion. Bill sponsor Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said Congress needs to send a message to other countries that U.S. alliances are not the equivalent of a “blank check.”