Trump Vetoes ‘Unnecessary’ Bill to End American Involvement in Yemen Civil War

President Donald Trump vetoed a resolution that would have called for the end of American assistance in Saudia Arabia’s war in Yemen.

President Trump delivered the second veto of his administration Tuesday as he vetoed S.J. Res. 7, which would call for the end of American support for Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

“This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday.

Congress passed a historic War Powers resolution in early April, featuring strong bipartisan support, representing much of President Trump’s foreign policy vision of “America First,” which contended that America should intervene less abroad and focus more on rebuilding the country.

Congress did not pass the Yemen resolution with a veto-proof majority through either chamber of Congress, which would suggest that it would remain difficult for Congress to override the president’s veto.

Trump contended that since 2015, the United States has provided “limited support” to member countries of the Saudi-led coalition.

President Trump reiterated his support for ending America’s endless wars.

Trump said:

As I said in my State of the Union address in February, great nations do not fight endless wars. My Administration is currently accelerating negotiations to end our military engagement in Afghanistan and drawing down troops in Syria, where we recently succeeded in eliminating 100 percent of the ISIS caliphate. Congressional engagement in those endeavors would be far more productive than expending time and effort trying to enact this unnecessary and dangerous resolution that interferes with our foreign policy with respect to Yemen.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who has worked with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rand Paul (R-KY) and other Republicans on ending America’s forever wars, released a statement Tuesday saying that the president’s veto represents a “painful missed opportunity” to limit the country’s foreign entanglements.

Sen. Sanders has led the charge on the Yemen resolution and might make this a larger fixture of his 2020 presidential campaign, now that the president vetoed the resolution. Sanders said that he too remains disappointed by the president’s veto.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Trump has rejected the bi-partisan resolution to end U.S. involvement in the horrific war in Yemen,” Sanders said.

The people of Yemen desperately need humanitarian help, not more bombs.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Trump has rejected the bi-partisan resolution to end U.S. involvement in the horrific war in Yemen. https://t.co/cOrsraeCig

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 17, 2019

“The Yemen War Powers Resolution was a bipartisan, bicameral effort to end the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and supported by some of the president’s most trusted Republican allies,” Khanna said.

The California Democrat said that he will continue to push for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen and will continue to push for ending America’s support in the war through future bills such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“For these reasons, it is my duty to return S.J. Res. 7 to the Senate without my approval,” Trump concluded in his statement.