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Trump seeks to bypass Congress on Saudi weapons sales amid Yemen war dispute

Democrats are concerned the Donald Trump administration may use emergency powers to bypass Congress on arms sales to Riyadh.

Saudi army artillery fire shells towards Houthi movement positions at the Saudi border with Yemen April 15, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY      - GF10000060379
Saudi army fires shells toward Houthi positions at the Saudi border with Yemen, April 15, 2015. — REUTERS/Stringer

Democrats and anti-war activists are sounding alarm bells that the Donald Trump administration intends to enact rarely used emergency powers to transfer precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia in an end-run around Congress.

The looming battle over arms transfer comes after the House attached legislation ending US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen to a must-pass defense spending bill on Tuesday. Trump vetoed a similar stand-alone bill last month.

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