Washington DC, July 25: United States President Donald Trump has on Wednesday vetoed a resolution proposed by Congressional trio aimed at hindering his organization from selling arms worth billions of dollars to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
Last month, secretary of state Mike Pompeo referred to threats from Iran as motivation to endorse the $8.1 billion arms deal with the two US partners in the Persian Gulf.
Saudi Arabia is a rival of Iran and pressure has mounted between Abu Dhabi and Tehran over various issues, incorporating the UAE’s coordination with Washington efforts to restrict what it calls Tehran’s malign exercises in the area.
The White House argued suspending the arms deal would send a sign that America doesn’t stand by its allies and partners, especially when threats are increasing against them, according to Dawn news reports.
The arms sale package included precision-guided weapons, other bombs and ammo and flying machine maintenance support.
Trump’s choice in May to sell the weapons further aggravated the strains.
“The president’s shameful veto tramples over the will of the bipartisan, bicameral Congress and perpetuates his administration’s involvement in the horrific conflict in Yemen, which is a stain on the conscience of the world,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
Chairman Eliot Engel, a Democrat from New York, said the development was a “slap in the face” to the US Congress and further accused the US presidential administration of using Iranian threats as “convenient excuse” to veto the Congressional resolution.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, Engel said, “The president’s veto sends a grim message that America’s foreign policy is no longer rooted in our core values namely a respect for human rights and that he views Congress not as a coequal branch of government, but an irritant to be avoided or ignored.”