Trump is not pulling any punches and is even going as far as to go against the GOP now. Trump has vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act. He is sending it back to the House to be amended. Trump claims the bill has numerous issues that must be addressed before he will pass it, including a measure that prevents the president from being able to withdraw troops without congressional permission. So a president can freely send troops into a conflict but then needs congressional permission to bring them home? Looks like Congress is getting a little too power-hungry.
Trump released a statement about his veto.
“I am returning, without my approval, H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (the “Act”). My Administration recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security. Unfortunately, the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military’s history, and contradicts efforts by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions. It is a “gift” to China and Russia.”
“Your failure to terminate the very dangerous national security risk of Section 230 will make our intelligence virtually impossible to conduct without everyone knowing what we are doing at every step.
The Act fails even to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, despite bipartisan calls for repealing that provision. Section 230 facilitates the spread of foreign disinformation online, which is a serious threat to our national security and election integrity. It must be repealed.
Additionally, the Act includes language that would require the renaming of certain military installations. Over the course of United States history, these locations have taken on significance to the American story and those who have helped write it that far transcends their namesakes. My Administration respects the legacy of the millions of American servicemen and women who have served with honor at these military bases, and who, from these locations, have fought, bled, and died for their country. From these facilities, we have won two World Wars. I have been clear in my opposition to politically motivated attempts like this to wash away history and to dishonor the immense progress our country has fought for in realizing our founding principles.”
“The Act also restricts the President’s ability to preserve our Nation’s security by arbitrarily limiting the amount of military construction funds that can be used to respond to a national emergency. In a time when adversaries have the means to directly attack the homeland, the President must be able to safeguard the American people without having to wait for congressional authorization. The Act also contains an amendment that would slow down the rollout of nationwide 5G, especially in rural areas.
Numerous provisions of the Act directly contradict my Administration’s foreign policy, particularly my efforts to bring our troops home. I oppose endless wars, as does the American public. Over bipartisan objections, however, this Act purports to restrict the President’s ability to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea. Not only is this bad policy, but it is unconstitutional. Article II of the Constitution makes the President the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States and vests in him the executive power. Therefore, the decision regarding how many troops to deploy and where, including in Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea, rests with him. The Congress may not arrogate this authority to itself directly or indirectly as purported spending restrictions.
For all of these reasons, I cannot support this bill. My Administration has taken strong actions to help keep our Nation safe and support our service members. I will not approve this bill, which would put the interests of the Washington, D.C. establishment over those of the American people…”
Senator Rand Paul agrees with Trump.
“Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.) has been vocal in his opposition to the bill, saying it does not give Trump enough power to withdraw troops from foreign nations.
“They believe that a president has the power to go to war anywhere anytime,” Paul said of the NDAA’s supporters on December 10. “But when a president tries to remove troops, they say ‘Oh no-no. What we really want are 535 generals in Congress to tell him he can’t leave a war.”
The president should have the power to bring troops home since he can send them out. This is an overreach of power on the part of Congress and should be fixed. The problem is this bill passed with so much support that it is veto-proof and Senator McConnell has already scheduled time to override the president. Now we are seeing just how little support our president really has.
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