Trump vetoes annual defense bill despite passage in Congress

WASHINGTON, Dec 24 (Xinhua): U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, despite the bill’s passage in Congress by a veto-proof majority.

The presidential action followed through on Trump’s threat to block the 741-billion-U.S.-dollar annual national security legislation, which now depends on both the House and the Senate overriding the veto for the bill to be enacted.

The bill already passed the Senate in an 84-13 vote and the House in a 355-78 vote.

The veto is so rare in history that it hasn’t happened to the NDAA for nearly six consecutive decades.

“I am returning, without my approval, H.R. 6395 … My Administration recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security,” Trump wrote in a statement to Congress notifying lawmakers of his decision.

“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,” said the president.