President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would veto the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a topline of $740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy.
“I will Veto the Defense Bill, which will make China very unhappy. They love it,” Trump tweeted. “Must have Section 230 termination, protect our National Monuments and allow for removal of military from far away, and very unappreciative, lands. Thank you!”
On Friday, the Republican-led Senate overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. The more than 70 members in support of the must-pass bill is more than the two-thirds majority that would be needed to defeat Trump’s promised veto.
Congress must now vote again to override Trump.
The NDAA, which typically passes with strong bipartisan support and veto-proof majorities, authorizes a topline of $740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy.
Earlier this month, Trump threatened to veto the must-pass defense bill if lawmakers do not include a measure eliminating legal protections for social media companies.
Trump is calling for the repeal of a federal law, known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects tech giants like Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms.
Last week, Trump referred to the provision as a “liability shielding gift” to “Big Tech” and called for it to be “completely terminated” otherwise he would nix this year’s NDAA.
Source: cnbc