Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today criticized the Trump administration for abruptly declaring an emergency and bypassing Congressional review to rush over $20 billion in weapons and equipment to the UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan.    

“The Trump administration’s latest use of emergency authorities to bypass Congressional review for over $20 billion in arms is yet another deeply troubling example of this administration’s flouting and contempt for Congress's oversight authority. 

“I support our partners’ ability to defend themselves. But that support does not give this administration a blank check to ignore the law or Congress.

“The facts here are straightforward: of the dozen weapons cases covered by the administration’s emergency declaration, only one contains defense articles and equipment ready for immediate export. The administration is using the veneer of an emergency declaration to bypass Congressional review on arms sales which have no direct connection to the current conflict or prospect for immediate transfer. That is not an emergency. That is an abuse of authority, and the American people’s elected representatives were deliberately cut out of that decision. 

“For months, I have raised serious concerns about major U.S. arms sales to the UAE while it continues to fuel the brutal civil war in Sudan by arming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, an entity the Department of State determined is committing genocide. Those concerns remain unaddressed.  

“As I have said before, this is an emergency of the administration’s own making. This arms transfer reflects a broader pattern: ignoring the law, bypassing Congress, and making major national security decisions without transparency or accountability. It also underscores the administration’s lack of preparation as it drags the American people deeper into Trump’s war of choice.” 

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