Trump’s last pardons and veto the defense bill with chaotic prenatal upheaval

President Trump vetoed the annual defense spending bill on Wednesday, the lame duck’s last chance at farewell in Congress, before leaving for Mar-a-Lago, his private Florida country club.

Although Trump promised to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress passed the $ 740 billion bill earlier this month by a veto-proof margin, the House of Representatives by a 335-87 vote and the Senate by 84-13. The House is expected to vote to overturn Trump’s veto on Monday, while the Senate is scheduled to vote the next day.

“My administration has taken firm steps to help keep our nation safe and support our service members,” Trump said in a written message to the House of Representatives. “I will not pass this bill, which would place the interests of the Washington DC system above those of the American people.”

In a statement, Mayor Nancy Pelosi criticized the president for his decision to veto the bill.

“For 60 years, the National Defense Authorization Law was passed on a bipartisan and bicameral basis,” said Pelosi in his statement. “The president’s veto of the #NDAA is an act of recklessness that harms our troops, jeopardizes our security and undermines the will of Congress.”

Trump demanded that, as part of the defense bill, Congress repeal legal protections for social media companies involving third-party content.

But several Republican lawmakers said they did not agree that the NDAA was the place to deal with Section 230, which the president believes creates an environment that unfairly targets him and other conservatives.

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“[Section] 230 has nothing to do with the military, “said Senate Armed Services Committee chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla, earlier this month, adding:” I agree with your feelings, we should end 230 – but you don’t you can do this account. “

Hours after announcing he would veto the defense bill, Trump issued his last in a series of 26 pardons, most notably to Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, his former campaign president, and a longtime friend. Roger Stone. Although Kushner pleaded guilty in 2004 to 16 counts of tax evasion, Manafort and Stone were charged in connection with Special Prosecutor Robert Muller’s investigation of Trump’s campaign ties to the Russian government in the 2016 elections. While Trump had already commuted Stone’s 40-month prison sentence, Manafort will now be spared 7 years behind bars for fraud in his financial transactions in the former Soviet Union.

The last round of pardons came a day after Trump, who is now in the last month of his presidency, issued 15 pardons and five commutations. Among those who received pardons on Tuesday were four military contractors who worked for the security firm Blackwater and were convicted of the 2007 massacre of 17 Iraqi civilians. Trump also spoke on behalf of his political allies Rep. Chris Collins, RN.Y ., who pleaded guilty to insider trading charges, and Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who pleaded guilty to stealing campaign funds.

His pardons gave ammunition to his political enemies, who noted the president’s personal ties to those he acquitted. Still, he is expected to announce more in the coming hours.

In addition to these decisions, Trump still left Washington in disarray on Tuesday after releasing a video asking lawmakers to change their COVID relief project so that the items they removed were removed. Trump himself included in its budget and demanded that $ 2,000 direct payments be made to each American citizen. Congress, which worked for months with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to reach a contentious settlement for the stimulus package, agreed on payments of $ 600.

Trump’s decision to post his opposition to the stimulus package surprised even Mnuchin, who had tweeted hours earlier, he was “pleased that Congress had approved, on an overwhelming bipartisan basis, additional critical economic relief for American workers, families and businesses.”

In the absence of Trump’s signature on the COVID aid package, lawmakers will face the possibility of another government closure.

Amid all the turmoil and disruption that Trump’s actions caused in Washington this week, the president continues to insist, without proof, that he was the legitimate winner of the 2020 elections. For officials and critics, the alternative reality is taking its toll.

On Wednesday morning, the White House Administration Office sent an internal memo telling officials in the President’s Executive Office to begin preparing to leave work before next month’s transition, Politico said. Minutes later, an email was sent to these employees telling them to “disregard” the previous guidance.

Attorney General William Barr, whose last day of work is Wednesday, told associates that he was alarmed by Trump’s behavior, the New York Times reported, while other officials say they are, according to the newspaper, “exhausted. and looking forward to the end of the term. “

Despite tiredness, many in Washington remain concerned about what Trump may still be thinking before leaving office on January 20. Moments before leaving the White House for Florida, the president tweeted as if he were answering that question.

“Some friendly health advice for Iran: if an American is killed, I will hold Iran accountable,” concluded Trump. “Think carefully.”

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