U.S. Senators Warn President Trump Not To Bypass Congress On Arms Sales

Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House.Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

NBC: Senators warn Trump admin not to bypass Congress again on arms sales

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that it is simply Democrats who are concerned about this," said GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

WASHINGTON — Senators from both parties on Wednesday accused the Trump administration of overstepping its authority by pushing through arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies in May without congressional approval, and vowed to reassert the role of Congress in reviewing weapons deals.

Lawmakers vented their frustration at a hearing with the State Department official overseeing arms sales, C. Clarke Cooper, telling him the administration had failed to make the case why $8 billion in weapons sales had to be expedited without time for congressional oversight.

"For whatever reason, the administration — in what seems to me a not fully baked decision-making process — decided to circumvent the law, decided to circumvent the constitutional responsibility of Congress and act unilaterally," said Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

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WNU Editor: Saudi Arabia has few if any friends in Congress right now.

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