Defying Trump, US Senate votes to block Saudi arms sales worth $8.1 billion

The Republican-led Senate voted Thursday to block US arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, as legislators outraged with the kingdom delivered a rebuke to President Donald Trump.

The upper chamber of Congress voted 53 to 45 to approve the first of three resolutions that would prevent the $8.1 billion in sales announced earlier this year, with a handful of Republicans siding with Democrats.

Some 22 resolutions, if all are approved and then passed by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, would block the sales of aircraft support maintenance, munitions and other weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan at a moment of heightened tensions in the Middle East.