The US Congress imposed, Friday 1er January, an unprecedented humiliation to Donald Trump by bypassing, by a very large majority, his veto on the defense budget.
The Senate, controlled by the Republicans, adopted (with 81 votes for and 13 against) this budget of 740 billion dollars (about 600 billion euros), despite “The president’s objections” during an exceptional session. As the House of Representatives, with a Democratic majority, had done the same, Monday, December 28, the text is definitively adopted.
The majority of Republican elected officials joined the Democrats, defying their leader at the twilight of his mandate, when he has always prided himself on their support.
The result of long negotiations, this budget was adopted in early December by overwhelming majorities by the House, with a Democratic majority, and the Senate, controlled by the Republicans. In particular, it provides for a 3% increase in the salary of defense personnel.
Trump stung
Donald Trump announced on December 23 that he was vetoing it, causing consternation even in his camp. The American president criticizes the text in particular, in addition to being, according to him, too favorable to China, to open the possibility of renaming military bases honoring Confederate generals, who fought in defense of slavery during the war. of Secession (1861-1865). He also justified his opposition by the fact that the text did not include the abolition of a law, known as “article 230”, protecting the legal status of social networks, which he accuses of being biased against him. .
In four years in the White House, Donald Trump has used his veto power nine times against bills passed in both chambers. So far, Congress has never managed to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to override it.
This slap comes as more and more elected officials from his own party recognize his defeat in the November 3 presidential election to Joe Biden – which he still does not concede himself. Stung, the billionaire had denounced earlier this week a “Weak and tired Republican leadership”.
The leader of the Republican senators, Mitch McConnell, had not given in, calling on his troops to vote for the 2021 defense budget. “It’s about ensuring that we stay in the race against our competitors like Russia and China”, he pleaded Friday at the opening of the debates. “It is also an opportunity to remind our soldiers and their families that they have our support”, also underlined the influential senator.
