President Donald J. Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Wednesday in a move that defied Congress. The bill had previously been passed by Congress every year since 1967.
The $740 billion defense spending bill had been passed by the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities, which could set up a potential fight to override the outgoing president’s veto power.
“The Act fails even to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, despite bipartisan calls for repealing that provision,” Trump said in a message to the House Wednesday.
He continued, “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.”
He then said it was a “gift to China and Russia.”