Congress challenges Trump and passes massive defense budget

The US Congress finally passed a budget of $ 740.5 billion to defend the United States in 2021, defying President Donald Trump's threat to block the budget.

The defense budget law document specifically provides for a 3 percent increase for workers in the defense sector and asks the executive authority to impose sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

The defense budget bill, which the House of Representatives adopted by an overwhelming majority, received 84 votes in favor and 13 against in the Senate.

The vote allowed for the "great majority" of votes required in both houses to override a possible veto from the president.

Before the law goes into effect, it is supposed to be sent to the White House for the president to sign.

But the Republican billionaire threatens to use his right to suspend the law, especially because the text does not include the abolition of a law known as "Article 230" and protects the legal status of social networks that he accuses of bias against it.

Trump has consistently confirmed his opposition to the inclusion of a provision in the Defense Ministry's Funding Act (the Pentagon) requiring the renaming of military bases bearing the names of generals from the Confederate camp who defended slavery.

The text also contradicts Donald Trump's plan to reduce the US military presence in Germany.

It imposes a period of 120 days at least on the Pentagon before any reduction of troops in Germany, which means that an American withdrawal cannot happen before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20 next.

The law also stipulates that a military withdrawal from Germany in a period of increasing threats in Europe would constitute a serious strategic mistake that would weaken the national security interests of the United States and weaken NATO.

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