Senate Blocks $3 Billion Military Sales to Qatar and UAE Amid Controversies

The U.S. Senate has blocked resolutions intended to halt over $3 billion in military sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, dismissing them by a 56-39 vote. The contentious decisions encapsulated a struggle over foreign policy, with Republicans largely opposing the blocks and Democrats rallying behind them.

The Senate dismissed efforts to thwart a $1.9 billion arms deal to Qatar and a $1.6 billion equipment sale to the UAE. Critics of the deals cited concerns over a luxury jet Qatar offered to President Trump and a cryptocurrency agreement involving an Emirati-backed firm.

Connecticut's Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a lead sponsor of the resolutions, characterized the transactions as corruptions of U.S. foreign policy. Meanwhile, Jim Risch, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, labeled Qatar and the UAE as reliable partners, condemning the resolutions as partisan maneuvering.

(With inputs from agencies.)