President Trump on Wednesday vetoed the annual defense spending bill, a $741 billion package that includes a 3 percent pay raise for U.S. troops. Both houses of Congress are expected to retain the two-thirds majority that originally passed the bill, likely ensuring the first successful veto override of Trump's tenure in the White House, although some Republicans have indicated they'll vote against an override.
The president had previously made no secret of his distaste for the bill and promised to veto it. He raised objections over language that allows the renaming of military bases like Fort Benning and Fort Hood that honor Confederate leaders and places limits on troop reductions in Germany, South Korea, and Afghanistan. He also complained that the bill does not include a repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which gives technology platforms like Facebook and Twitter liability protection for content posted by third parties on their websites.
Trump also claimed that China will "love" the bill — even though there are several provisions focused on deterring Beijing included — because it does not greenlight a 5G development project by Ligado, The Washington Post notes. Read more at The Washington Post and The Associated Press.