The United States Senate on Thursday voted to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia, defying President Donald Trump.
The resolution opposing Trump’s plan to complete weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries was supported by some of his fellow Republicans in Congress in a rare rebuke of the White House.
The vote was 53-45 for the first of 22 resolutions of disapproval the Senate was to consider related to Trump’s decision last month to sidestep the congressional review process and complete more than $8 billion in military sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
If all 22 resolution are approved and then passed by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, the sales of aircraft support maintenance, munitions and other weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan would be blocked at a moment of heightened tensions in the Middle East.
