Trump Cuts The Graft

 

President Donald Trump vetoed the $740 billion 2021 National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday, calling the legislation a "gift" to China and Russia.

The bill passed overwhelmingly in the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-led Senate earlier this month, and both chambers are expected to hold override votes on the measure next week.

What are the details?

In a statement announcing the move, Trump said that while his administration "recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security," it "fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and military's history, and contradicts efforts by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions."

He called the NDAA in its current form "a 'gift' to China and Russia," before adding, "No one has worked harder, or approved more money for the military, than I have; over $2 trillion. During my four years, with the support of many others, we have almost entirely rebuilt the United States military, which was totally depleted when I took office."

The President went on to criticize Congress for refusing to include a provision in the NDAA that would repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law that  The Hill magazine noted "provides a legal shield to tech companies like Twitter and Facebook."

Trump had threatened to veto the NDAA a number of times including last week, when he tweeted, "I will Veto the Defense Bill, which will make China very unhappy. They love it. Must have Section 230 termination, protect our National Monuments and allow for removal of military from far away, and very unappreciative, lands. Thank you!"

The President has also spoken out against renaming military bases named after Confederates, which was included in the legislation.

The House passed the NDAA overwhelmingly on Dec. 8 with a vote tally of 335-78-1, and the Senate also passed it with a veto-proof majority of 84-13.

According to CSPAN, the "House will hold its veto override vote Monday and if it's successful, the Senate will attempt to hold their vote Tuesday."  The Washington Post reported that if successful, it would be the first veto override of Mr. Trump's Presidency.

The outlet further explained:

Congress has until Jan. 3 at 11:59 a.m., a Sunday, to override the veto and force the Defense Bill to become law. If they do nothing, it will expire along with the end of the two-year Congressional session at noon that day.  This is a "pocket veto" failing as the President, didn't take it out of his pocket and act on it.

Donald J. Trump has done more to restore the Defense Department since Barrack Hussein Obama destroyed it with intentional neglect and rules of engagement that would not permit our troops to fire on Muslims until fired upon, i.e. "Giving them the first shot."  It must be noted Mr. Obama was made Muslim at age ten when his white mother was married to a Pakistani named Soetoro, the name Barack used to get into Columbia and Harvard Law school as a "foreign student" thereby identifying himself as foreign born and not qualified to be President.  When will we awaken and get over our 150 year-old "black guilt?"

 Adrian Vance