Senate fails to pass resolution blocking Trump administration’s F-35 sale to the UAE

Jared Szuba

Dec 9, 2020

An F-35 fighter plane flies over the White House on June 12, 2019, in Washington DC. - US President Donald Trump announced while meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda that Poland was ordering more than 30 F-35 combat aircraft. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP) (Photo credit should read ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images) — An F-35 fighter jet flies over the White House, Washington, June 12, 2019. — Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

The US Senate on Wednesday failed to pass resolutions to block the Trump administration’s planned $23 billion sale of the advanced F-35 fighter jet and armed drones to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Though President Donald Trump was expected to veto the resolution, its failure to pass Congress’ upper chamber is a blow to Democrats’ effort to stop the transfer of the highly sensitive and deadly weapons to Abu Dhabi, which maintains defense relationships with Russia and China and is among the top violators of the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.

The measure to block the sale of up to 18 MQ-9B drones to the UAE failed with 46 votes for the resolution and 50 votes against. Two Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, both of Arizona, sided with Republicans against the resolution.

A subsequent vote of 47-49 rejected the resolution to block the F-35 sale. Sen. Rand Paul was the only Republican to vote for both of the measures.

Senate fails to pass resolution blocking Trump administration’s F-35 sale to the UAE

Major obstacle falls to Trump administration's Gulf security goals.

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