Trump defies congress, OKs arms for Saudis

Reuters  - May 25, 2019

US President Donald Trump is clearing the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia and other countries despite strong resistance to the plan from both Republicans and Democrats.

Trump has justified the sale by saying there is a national emergency because of tensions with Iran.

The administration has informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 arms deals worth about $US8 billion ($A12 billion), congressional aides said, sweeping aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.