Senate fails to override Trump vetoes on 3 Saudi arms sales bans

On Monday, the Senate fell well short of the 67 votes needed to override President Trump's vetoes on three resolutions that would block arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Senate had passed the three resolutions in June, with seven Republicans voting in favor, after the Trump administration said it would use emergency powers to sell arms to Saudi Arabia without congressional approval. Monday's votes — 45 to 40 in favor, 45 to 39, and 46 to 41 — drew support from six Republican senators. Seven Democrats missed the vote, including six who are running for president.

This is the second time the Senate has failed to override Trump's veto on a bill targeting Saudi Arabia, after it fell short in May on a resolution to end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

The Senate unanimously condemned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last year for the murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, but the failure to override Trump's vetoes "reflects a pervasive split in the Republican Party about how forcefully its members are willing to challenge Trump's embrace of Saudi leaders," The Washington Post reports. Despite bipartisan concerns about U.S.-Saudi ties, Politico adds, "the majority of Senate Republicans view the kingdom as a key counterbalance to Iran's influence in the Middle East."

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The Senate now has few routes left to challenge Trump's support for Saudi Arabia. Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee cleared a measure co-authored by Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) that would impose a moratorium on all non-defensive arms sale to Saudi Arabia, over the objections of committee Chairman James Risch (R-Idaho). Risch had backed a weaker bill supported by the White House, and he has advised Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) not to hold a vote on the tougher measure his committee passed, calling it futile given Trump's likely veto.