In a series of votes on Thursday, a handful of Republican senators joined Democrats in a move to block Donald Trump’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia. In a series of three votes, the Senate actually passed a total of 22 joint disapproval resolutions to block further U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other countries. All three measures are now headed for the House, where they are expected to pass.
As The New York Times reports, Trump’s absolute support for Saudi Arabia and for Mohammed bin Salman has generated a “large rift” between Trump and Congress. This vote follows another vote in which a bipartisan majority moved to end U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen. However, Trump vetoed that legislation in April, and the votes were not there to overturn the veto.
What happened then with the war in Yemen will be the likely outcome of the legislation that just passed the Senate on a 53–45 vote. Trump not only made Saudi Arabia his first stop outside the country after the 2016 election, but has also repeatedly bragged about the supposed size of his arms sale to MBS. Jared Kushner has made multiple visits to the crown prince’s personal residence over the last year.
The vote to block sales to Saudi Arabia is coming against the background of actions related to Iran, which is viewed as Saudi Arabia’s greatest rival in the Middle East, and the power behind Yemeni forces that oppose Saudi Arabia’s efforts in that country.
The Republicans who voted in favor of one or more measures included Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, and Jerry Moran.