U.S. Legislators – Including Republicans – Oppose Trump on Arms Sales

Members of the United States House of Representatives are readying legislation aimed at forestalling plans by the Trump Administration, with a critical green light from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to go ahead with $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The administration is citing what it calls a “national emergency” due to rising tensions with Iran, but many legislators are concerned that the Executive Branch is bypassing Congressional watchdog committees. And the pushback is coming from both sides of the aisle, according to Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro, who told the Reuters news agency: “There’s a bipartisan resolve that we need to re-evaluate our relationship with Saudi Arabia, most especially the weapons that we sell them.” Apparently, it’s the same in the Senate, where Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham, one of president Trump’s most vociferous supporters, told The Washington Post he’ll sign on to so-called resolutions of disapproval regarding the proposed arms sales.