President Trump, along with many critics, have lashed out against the many extraneous measures tacked on the newly approved coronavirus relief bill. He has called the $600 stimulus checks a “disgrace” to Americans and said that legislation has included measures in the bill that have nothing to do with the pandemic.
The annual National Defense Authorization Act was supposed to authorize $740 billion in military spending Wednesday but President Trump also vetoed the bill for a number of reasons. In a letter to the House of Representatives, the Trump Administration wrote that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 went without approval. They said that the Act did not respect our veterans or put America first in national security.
President Trump said that the foreign policy acts were practically a “gift” to China and Russia while calling for the NDAA to terminate Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. He explained that it would make intelligence virtually impossible to conduct and named it as the main reason for the veto.
“The Act fails even to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, despite bipartisan calls for repealing that provision. Section 230 facilitates the spread of foreign disinformation online, which is a serious threat to our national security and election integrity. It must be repealed,” the statement reads.
This also protects big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter from legal liability for content posted by users. The growing distrust over Silicon Valley companies has raised fears over censorship and political meddling, particularly during the 2020 presidential elections.
President Trump goes on to address the issues of renaming certain military installations. He said that he respects the legacy of the millions of American servicemen and women too much to wash away United States history with a politically dishonest process. He said that he will not dishonor the country’s founding principles and those who have fought, bled, and died for their country.
The act also limits the President’s amount of military construction funds in response to a national emergency. President Trump argues that they shouldn’t have to wait for congressional authorization to safeguard the American people. The act also restricts the ability to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea.
“My Administration has taken strong actions to help keep our Nation safe and support our service members. I will not approve this bill, which would put the interests of the Washington, D.C. establishment over those of the American people,” the statement concludes.
President Trump has highlighted his administration’s concerns over the National Defense Authorization Act. He continues to fight for change in our national security and make Congress do their jobs for our military people. Congress must prioritize our troops.
