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For the first time during Donald Trump’s term and shortly before its end, the United States Congress overruled a presidential veto. After the House of Representatives, the Senate also overruled Trump’s veto on the legislative package on the US defense budget with the necessary two-thirds majority on Friday. The massive legislative package can now go into effect despite the absence of Trump’s signature.
The president had opposed the bill due to a dispute over the regulation of online platforms and a possible renaming of military bases. Now, shortly before the end of his term on January 20, he suffered a severe defeat in parliament, where a large part of his Republicans also opposed him on this issue. 81 senators voted for the legislative package (with 13 votes against) and successfully overruled Trump’s veto. The two-thirds majority on camera was comfortably outnumbered.
Blocking the withdrawal of US troops from Germany
The legislative package on the defense budget comprises more than 4,500 pages and foresees a budget of around 740 billion dollars (603 billion euros). Because it is politically unthinkable that the military budget will not materialize, the package in the US often also includes numerous regulations that are not directly related to the financing of the armed forces. The defense budget was approved with bipartisan support for 59 years in a row, also this year.
Democrats and Republicans have stipulated that Trump’s planned massive withdrawal of US soldiers from Germany will be blocked for the time being. The wording of the law states that the United States Secretary of Defense must declare in a report to Congress whether such a withdrawal would be in the national interest of the United States. The number of US soldiers stationed in Germany may drop below the 34,500 limit at least 120 days later. In addition, the law states that threats of sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 oil pipeline in the German-Russian Baltic Sea will be expanded.
According to Trump, the law contradicts national security
Trump had vetoed the congressional decision. In support of this, he asserted in a letter to the House of Representatives that the law was contrary to the foreign policy and national security of his government.
Among other things, the president criticized the fact that online platforms are not being regulated more strictly. He wanted Congress to change what is known as Section 230, which protects online platforms from being held accountable for content posted by their users. Trump called the ruling “a serious threat to national security and the integrity of the elections.” Critics, in turn, accuse Trump of only wanting revenge on Twitter and Facebook. Additionally, Trump is a thorn in the side of the renaming of several military bases following protests against racism.
Trump considers it unconstitutional that the withdrawal of soldiers from Afghanistan, South Korea and Germany ordered by him is now limited by law. Under the constitution, the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he said. The decision on how many soldiers should be deployed where is therefore yours.
Eight successful vetoes in four years
During his four-year tenure, Trump had vetoed congressional legislative plans eight times. In none of these cases, however, had the required two-thirds majority been achieved in the chambers of parliament to override their veto. Democrats have a majority in the House of Representatives and Republicans in the Senate.
Trump lost the November 3 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump refuses to admit defeat. Biden will be sworn in on January 20. Until then, Trump remains in office with full rights. (apa / dpa)
