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BumRushDaShow

(169,192 posts)
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:00 AM Yesterday

Trump Admin Uses Wartime Powers to Sidestep Congress and Push $23B in Arms Sales to Gulf States

Source: Yahoo! News/MEDIAite

Fri, March 20, 2026 at 5:10 PM EDT


The Trump administration moved Friday to force through more than $23 billion in weapons sales to key Middle Eastern allies by invoking emergency powers to bypass Congress and fast-track deals that lawmakers had yet to approve.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that “an emergency exists requiring the immediate approval of critical arms transfers for Middle East partners currently under attack by Iran,” according to a State Department statement.

The use of emergency authority to override Congress is legal under the Arms Export Control Act.

The sales to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan include 11 separate arms packages. Some of the deals had been under review on Capitol Hill, while others had not even been formally submitted to Congress. The emergency declaration allows the administration to sidestep the long-standing congressional oversight process governing foreign arms transfers, a mechanism designed to give senior lawmakers time to scrutinize deals worth billions.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-admin-uses-wartime-powers-211036960.html

31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump Admin Uses Wartime Powers to Sidestep Congress and Push $23B in Arms Sales to Gulf States (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Yesterday OP
This Administration wants our money but not our authorization Buddyzbuddy Yesterday #1
That's a lot of money. I hope it gets everywhere and to everyone it's supposed to underpants 16 hrs ago #27
Yet another giant, wet, slobbery kiss from Trump popsdenver 16 hrs ago #28
Depending on how the sale is done, it could GO to the foreign entity underpants 15 hrs ago #29
Are there special "excursion" powers? Harker Yesterday #2
Yep, AKA start a fire, pour on gasoline powers Attilatheblond 13 hrs ago #31
This is just competition for supplies and equipment the US needs too. Deminpenn Yesterday #3
Cant use wartime powers without congress declaring war SSJVegeta Yesterday #4
but it's just an excursion! barbtries Yesterday #5
If what he says is so, then he just admitted that this is a 'war'... OldBaldy1701E Yesterday #6
How can the Trump administration use the Wartime Powers Act when war has not been declared? Botany 23 hrs ago #7
How can he use wartime powers if we're not at war? IronLionZion 23 hrs ago #8
So it IS a war . Which means he must go through Congress. travelingthrulife 23 hrs ago #9
Mike Johnson is ok to give away his constitutional powers for his dear leader ! kimbutgar 22 hrs ago #10
No way to balance THAT checkbook! BattleRow 19 hrs ago #19
But they claim we are "not at war." City Lights 22 hrs ago #11
Only Congress can declare wars - and they haven't done it FakeNoose 16 hrs ago #26
Thought this was just an "excursion" Picaro 22 hrs ago #12
I didn't realize we still had a Congress watertiger 22 hrs ago #13
We dont, or they would deal with this. That said, Volaris 20 hrs ago #18
We have a concept of a Congress..a concept of a Constitution.. BattleRow 19 hrs ago #20
But nothing for Ukraine ? Bluetus 22 hrs ago #14
war is so lucrative for the military industril complex and it's politician enablers Evolve Dammit 21 hrs ago #15
If the press doesn't say anything about the word "WAR" then this is all bullshit purr-rat beauty 20 hrs ago #16
trump & co. were screaming we were running out of munitions for his war, Bayard 20 hrs ago #17
What, no money for Russia? Sam I Yam 18 hrs ago #21
I Thought MissouriDem47 17 hrs ago #22
The war progress depends on the hour and who he spoke with last Attilatheblond 17 hrs ago #24
Trying to make sense of ANYTHING he does, brings me back to a comment he made to a ballroom full of donors Attilatheblond 17 hrs ago #23
Oh great. Escalation. It used to be US policy was constraint and de-escalation to avoid human death and suffering ChicagoTeamster 16 hrs ago #25
Oh, is it a "war" now? I don't recall Congress authorizing one. So it can't be "wartime." Beartracks 13 hrs ago #30

Buddyzbuddy

(2,535 posts)
1. This Administration wants our money but not our authorization
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:15 AM
Yesterday

via Congressional scrutiny and authorization. Don't forget to thank him after you're done servicing him, Republican Congress. Especially you, L.Grahm.

underpants

(196,326 posts)
27. That's a lot of money. I hope it gets everywhere and to everyone it's supposed to
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:15 PM
16 hrs ago

Just saying.

popsdenver

(2,214 posts)
28. Yet another giant, wet, slobbery kiss from Trump
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:26 PM
16 hrs ago

to the monstrously huge Military Industrial Corporations.......wonder what Trump expects in Donations in Return......

underpants

(196,326 posts)
29. Depending on how the sale is done, it could GO to the foreign entity
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:45 PM
15 hrs ago

to make the purchase or it could be us paying the MIC contractors for shipment to the foreign entity.
I am not sure how that works.

If it’s the former, to let’s say Qatar ….gee 🤔 didn’t they gift a $400M plane to Trump? What’s their relationship with Jared? Witkoff?

Deminpenn

(17,467 posts)
3. This is just competition for supplies and equipment the US needs too.
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 07:06 AM
Yesterday

Foreign governments might get direct delivery of the weapon system or weapon, but they use the same DoD supply system for maintenance and repair as the services. The foreign countries can order needed parts directly, but then they are in the same lead time pipeline as military contracts with the same contractors.

SSJVegeta

(2,819 posts)
4. Cant use wartime powers without congress declaring war
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 08:02 AM
Yesterday

Hopefully somebody sues to reverse this?

OldBaldy1701E

(11,057 posts)
6. If what he says is so, then he just admitted that this is a 'war'...
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 09:06 AM
Yesterday

And, he broke the law by starting one without congressional approval.

But, as usual, none of it matters because no one who could do anything about it will, so...

Botany

(77,221 posts)
7. How can the Trump administration use the Wartime Powers Act when war has not been declared?
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 09:56 AM
23 hrs ago

Laws, Constitutional Guidelines, and the powers that expressly given to Congress mean nothing
to Trump and his crew.

Btw what are the goals of this war on Iran* and how do we get out of it?

* outside of trying divert attention from Jeffery Epstein?

IronLionZion

(51,191 posts)
8. How can he use wartime powers if we're not at war?
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 10:04 AM
23 hrs ago


Qatar gifted him a free jet but then lost billions when their gas fields were attacked. Bribing TSF is the worst investment.

kimbutgar

(27,216 posts)
10. Mike Johnson is ok to give away his constitutional powers for his dear leader !
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 10:41 AM
22 hrs ago

And in the Senate John Thune also is weak and will stand by and say nothing to deter the 😡🐖💩 dictator.

There is nothing reining in this manic in the White House now. Checks and balances a thing of the past.

City Lights

(25,777 posts)
11. But they claim we are "not at war."
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 10:56 AM
22 hrs ago

We can't be "at war" when it's convenient and "not at war" when it's not.

FakeNoose

(41,420 posts)
26. Only Congress can declare wars - and they haven't done it
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:13 PM
16 hrs ago

... They haven't even been asked. So this incursion in Iran isn't a "war." What the hell is it?

Picaro

(2,385 posts)
12. Thought this was just an "excursion"
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 11:02 AM
22 hrs ago

Why does he have “war time” power if this is just an excursion, a little jaunt? But not a war…

BattleRow

(2,387 posts)
20. We have a concept of a Congress..a concept of a Constitution..
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 01:41 PM
19 hrs ago

A concept of a Commander in Chief..etc...etc..

purr-rat beauty

(1,222 posts)
16. If the press doesn't say anything about the word "WAR" then this is all bullshit
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 12:37 PM
20 hrs ago

well, it was bullshit from the start

Bayard

(29,535 posts)
17. trump & co. were screaming we were running out of munitions for his war,
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 12:38 PM
20 hrs ago

But now, we have enough to sell to countries he unleashed hell on. The war profiteers love this guy.

Attilatheblond

(8,813 posts)
24. The war progress depends on the hour and who he spoke with last
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 03:58 PM
17 hrs ago

And, of course, his Depends and the condition of said garment.

Attilatheblond

(8,813 posts)
23. Trying to make sense of ANYTHING he does, brings me back to a comment he made to a ballroom full of donors
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 03:54 PM
17 hrs ago

at Mar A Largo during the '24 campaign:

"You're gonna be SO RICH!"

ChicagoTeamster

(898 posts)
25. Oh great. Escalation. It used to be US policy was constraint and de-escalation to avoid human death and suffering
Sat Mar 21, 2026, 05:09 PM
16 hrs ago

and infrastructure damage that would hurt the global economy, Trump must have received huge campaign donations from the arms industry along with the oil industry and all his friends in the gulf oil states.

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