Trump revives threat to veto defense bill, teeing up battle with lawmakers

By Andrea Shalal

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump departs on travel to West Point, New York from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 12, 2020. REUTERS/Cheriss May/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his threat to veto a massive defense policy bill, setting the stage for a major battle with U.S. lawmakers at a time when they are racing to hammer out a compromise on more coronavirus relief.

 

The $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed both houses of Congress with more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

 

Passage by the Republican-controlled Senate on Friday sent the measure to Trump, giving him 10 days - minus Sundays - to veto it, sign it or allow it become law without his signature.

 

Trump shrugged off hopes by backers of the bill that strong bipartisan support for the measure - which has become law for 59 straight years - would prompt him to reconsider his threat.

 

"THE BIGGEST WINNER OF OUR NEW DEFENSE BILL IS CHINA! I WILL VETO!" Trump tweeted on Sunday as he headed to the golf course he owns outside Washington.

 

The White House had no immediate comment about when Trump would act or what he meant by the reference to China.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the bill contained bipartisan provisions that were "tougher on China than the Trump administration has ever been."

 

Trump previously objected to the fiscal 2021 NDAA because it did not repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects technology companies like Alphabet Inc's Google, Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc from liability for what appears on their platforms.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his threat to veto a massive defense spending bill, which was passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate on Friday, giving the president 10 days - minus Sundays - to veto it, sign it or allow it to become law without his signature. This report produced by Chris Dignam.

 

Trump has argued that tech firms have an anti-conservative bias, which the companies deny. Lawmakers from both parties say that concerns about social media should not kill legislation considered essential for the Pentagon.

 

A source familiar with Trump's thinking said the president was concerned that Twitter and other platforms often flagged comments by conservatives while allowing posts from Chinese officials that the Trump administration considers problematic.

 

Twitter has also flagged posts by Chinese officials in the past, including one in May in which Beijing suggested the coronavirus had been brought to China by the U.S. military.

 

Trump also wants to block an NDAA provision stripping the names of Confederate generals from military bases and opposes parts of the legislation that could slow plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Germany.

 

The NDAA determines everything from how many ships are bought and soldiers' pay to how to address geopolitical threats. Since it is a compromise, combining separate measures already passed in the House and Senate, it cannot be amended and will expire on Jan. 3 if the veto is not overturned.

 

A successful veto override would be the first of Trump's four-year presidency. He has had eight sustained.

 

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-14

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Will the Donald Trump presidency go down in history as the dumbest thing America has ever done! ????

Trump came in as a change agent. Perhaps Biden should do the same, and have Trump arrested for sedition as soon as he takes over on January 20. There's probably much more evidence of that than there is of electoral fraud.

Trump will continue to act as a spoiler until he is put away.

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Trump will continue to act as a spoiler until he is put away.

 Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963). Trump???

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage, even if it holds together, after this election farce? Whom ever is supposed potus, probably Harris, in the next few years will be looked upon as banana republic leader. With the policies of this bunch of morons the USA will rapidly go broke, the military will have to be downsized dramatically, no money, thereby completely removing the last vestige of international authority the USA had, the blatant ignoring of the tenets of the revered Constitution,by so called legal scholars and corrupt politicians, removed moral authority. China will carry on with their long term plan and dominate the world. Just another corrupt bunch of parasitic self aggrandising tossers pissing on `we the people`.

Edited December 14, 20205 yr by John1012
grammar

1 minute ago, John1012 said:

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage, even if it holds together, after this election farce? Who ever is supposed potus, probably Harris, in the next few years will be looked upon as banana republic leader. With the policies of this bunch of morons the USA will rapidly go broke, the military will have to be downsized dramatically, no money, thereby completely removing the last vestige of international authority the USA had, the blatant ignoring of the tenets of the revered Constitution,by so called legal scholars and corrupt politicians, removed moral authority. China will carry on with their long term plan and dominate the world. Just another corrupt bunch of parasitic self aggrandising tossers pissing on `we the people`.

Thank you for your well reasoned baseless accusations.

5 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Thank you for your well reasoned baseless accusations.

Thank you for your politeness, as to baseless, time will tell, I sincerely hope they are. Biden (seemingly a nice enough person) is not an achiever or an inspirational anything,he will just do what his owners tell him to do, Harris, who knows what she is, a soft Marxist?

Just now, John1012 said:

Thank you for your politeness, as to baseless, time will tell, I sincerely hope they are. Biden (seemingly a nice enough person) is not an achiever or an inspirational anything,he will just do what his owners tell him to do, Harris, who knows what she is, a soft Marxist?

Please share with us Kamala Harris' soft Marxist positions?

4 minutes ago, John1012 said:

Harris, who knows what she is, a soft Marxist?

"Soft Marxism", whilst certainly not "for me", is a perfectly acceptable political viewpoint in a free democracy. 

 

I don't think Ms Harris is a Marxist at all, but a clear majority of Americans voted for the ticket of which she was a member, and to all but the least sentient it must have been obvious that she would be more than a "cipher" and would also be a very likely candidate to follow Mr Biden.

 

Maybe, looking at the rather damaged social structures, crumbling infrastructures, lack of available health care and urban and rural poverty throughout much of the country, American voters are flirting with the idea of "soft Marxism", or as the rest of the world might call it, "liberal conservatism"?

If it passed with a majority that overrides the president why is it even news worthy?

I'm more curious what Biden is going to do about covid or will that be like BLM and just go away....today's fish wrapped in yesterday's newspapers?

6 minutes ago, wombat said:

If it passed with a majority that overrides the president why is it even news worthy?

I'm more curious what Biden is going to do about covid or will that be like BLM and just go away....today's fish wrapped in yesterday's newspapers?

Because if the president vetoes a bill, to override it a 2/3 majority is necessary in the House and the Senate.

As for the rest of your comment, it has what exactly to do with Trump overriding a veto? But thanks for sharing your interest with us.

50 minutes ago, John1012 said:

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage, even if it holds together, after this election farce? Whom ever is supposed potus, probably Harris, in the next few years will be looked upon as banana republic leader. With the policies of this bunch of morons the USA will rapidly go broke, the military will have to be downsized dramatically, no money, thereby completely removing the last vestige of international authority the USA had, the blatant ignoring of the tenets of the revered Constitution,by so called legal scholars and corrupt politicians, removed moral authority. China will carry on with their long term plan and dominate the world. Just another corrupt bunch of parasitic self aggrandising tossers pissing on `we the people`.

Well said.

56 minutes ago, John1012 said:

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage, even if it holds together, after this election farce? Whom ever is supposed potus, probably Harris, in the next few years will be looked upon as banana republic leader. With the policies of this bunch of morons the USA will rapidly go broke, the military will have to be downsized dramatically, no money, thereby completely removing the last vestige of international authority the USA had, the blatant ignoring of the tenets of the revered Constitution,by so called legal scholars and corrupt politicians, removed moral authority. China will carry on with their long term plan and dominate the world. Just another corrupt bunch of parasitic self aggrandising tossers pissing on `we the people`.

 

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Well said.

Yes, a beautifully composed rant.

7 minutes ago, placeholder said:

 

Yes, a beautifully composed rant.

Good to know you liked it too.

"...as he headed to the golf course he owns outside Washington."

 

Should be in any journalists cut and paste when writing about Trump.

I am astounded by those misguided supporters of Trump who feel that budget to pay the nation's soldiers and cover expenses can be treated like a political football and held hostage for purpose of bargain. It has never been used as a political tool in the last 59 years and never a controversial issue to support men and women in uniform. Reps and Dems always find common ground on this. Meanwhile this recalcitrant prefer playing golf than attend to this important bill is inexcusable and nauseating.  

1 hour ago, John1012 said:

Thank you for your politeness, as to baseless, time will tell, I sincerely hope they are. Biden (seemingly a nice enough person) is not an achiever or an inspirational anything,he will just do what his owners tell him to do, Harris, who knows what she is, a soft Marxist?

Generally speaking, to be a Marxist (soft or hard, whatever that means), one would have to have read some Marx. At least Volume one of Das Kapital in English (the other two volumes are really notes, not prepared monograph).

 

I can assure you that very few people have outside of the former Eastern Europe/Soviet Union. Not even China encourages the reading of Marx.

 

What some people in the USA mean when they say Marxist is an additional small amount of government intervention in the economy, above and beyond what has been the norm. That would make any US President who had to deal with a crisis a Marxist. The term is also used to describe all those places where there is a public health system - that is just about every country that can afford one except the USA. Germany (run by a centre-right government), UK (run by the Convervatives with a huge majority) - need I go on.

 

It would be much better if you criticised Harris in a more productive way. For instance, you may disagree with her tough approach on law and order (when she was Attorney General of the state of California - a place that is one of the largest economies in the world). While she does agree with the affordable care concept, she does not agree with the abolishing of private health insurance (a marxist who believes in private health insurance!). 

 

It's already looking like the incoming Democrat administration want to spend more on the military and overseas interventions than Trump himself (though his administration has waffled on this point). That's not the usual narrative, and where will it lead? I appreciate John1012's rant, except for the part that the USA will go broke; it can't, because the Fed has the ability to create endless amounts of liquidity. Look at the Dollar Index chart, there is still a lot farther it can fall.

9 minutes ago, Enzian said:

It's already looking like the incoming Democrat administration want to spend more on the military and overseas interventions than Trump himself (though his administration has waffled on this point). That's not the usual narrative, and where will it lead? I appreciate John1012's rant, except for the part that the USA will go broke; it can't, because the Fed has the ability to create endless amounts of liquidity. Look at the Dollar Index chart, there is still a lot farther it can fall.

There is more, IMO, to being broke than just monetarily.

IMO the US is broken and it's just a matter of time before it falls apart.

2 hours ago, John1012 said:

Thank you for your politeness, as to baseless, time will tell, I sincerely hope they are. Biden (seemingly a nice enough person) is not an achiever or an inspirational anything,he will just do what his owners tell him to do, Harris, who knows what she is, a soft Marxist?

That is what all US presidents do. All that campaign money did not fall out of thin air and promises and pledges made, have to be honoured. Lobbying in the corridors of government is where the real power lies. The rest is just a show.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

There is more, IMO, to being broke than just monetarily.

IMO the US is broken and it's just a matter of time before it falls apart.

Trumps legacy in a nutshell.

Poor Donald will just have to pound sand the bill passed with a veto proof majority he can’t do squat 

5 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Will the Donald Trump presidency go down in history as the dumbest thing America has ever done! ????

It’s his Cult that’s the problem, he loves the uneducated 

3 hours ago, John1012 said:

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage, even if it holds together, after this election farce? Whom ever is supposed potus, probably Harris, in the next few years will be looked upon as banana republic leader. With the policies of this bunch of morons the USA will rapidly go broke, the military will have to be downsized dramatically, no money, thereby completely removing the last vestige of international authority the USA had, the blatant ignoring of the tenets of the revered Constitution,by so called legal scholars and corrupt politicians, removed moral authority. China will carry on with their long term plan and dominate the world. Just another corrupt bunch of parasitic self aggrandising tossers pissing on `we the people`.

You can always take him to England to straighten out your Brexit and Loot  the country , Take Him

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

There is more, IMO, to being broke than just monetarily.

IMO the US is broken and it's just a matter of time before it falls apart.

You wish , Now hurry along and watch  Brexit Implode 

1 hour ago, Enzian said:

It's already looking like the incoming Democrat administration want to spend more on the military and overseas interventions than Trump himself (though his administration has waffled on this point). That's not the usual narrative, and where will it lead? I appreciate John1012's rant, except for the part that the USA will go broke; it can't, because the Fed has the ability to create endless amounts of liquidity. Look at the Dollar Index chart, there is still a lot farther it can fall.

Trumps Defence Budget was Rejected Di some research 

He still needs to have a veto overriden by Congress before he leaves office, no president is complete without it. I say go for it, Donald!

 

The rant on this subject gives the outsider a good idea of the state of the USA today.

Thankful to read a few reasoned replies.

31 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

It’s his Cult that’s the problem, he loves the uneducated 

Correct...no one else is stupid enough to believe his lies! Amazing really how many lowly educated there are in the USA!

4 hours ago, John1012 said:

I am quite amused at the arrogance of the supporters of the scion of the allegedly corrupt Biden family, do they really think that the current federal United States of America will remain relevant on the international stage,

 

Apparently Trump has his supporters even in LOS?

 

Well, John, it is interesting to read your rant, but if we are all not dumb and blind, I think we see that this red headed menace has done a lot of damage to our reputation in the international media?

 

Do you really feel that Biden will be worse?  Let me ask you a question, would YOU do worse?  I think not.  Logical thinking and a sound approach to problems (with guidance from those who are knowledgeable) can make a far, far better leader than this fool, IMHO.