More than a dozen Republican senators blew off Donald Trump's demands and advanced an unconditional U.S. foreign aid bill that would send $95 billion to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.
The Senate voted 67-27 to move the foreign aid supplemental spending bill another step closer to passing, although leadership still haven't agreed on border amendments Republicans insist on, despite Trump telling GOP senators all weekend they should not approve the funding unless it's extended as a "loan," reported Politico.
“I think that it’s unlikely that we lose any more [members],” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC). “It’s more likely that we can gain more, particularly of members who … were just wanting to make sure that our members got a chance to file amendments and have them heard.”
Republicans blocked a bipartisan agreement last week on the border and foreign aid that Trump had opposed, but GOP senators seem less concerned about the former president's opposition – although some made excuses for his widely condemned comments about NATO.
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"Tillis blamed Trump’s team rather than the former president’s long-established beef with NATO, saying 'shame on his briefers' for not explaining the U.S. has made a commitment to assist any NATO country that is attacked," Politico reported. "Others were sharper in their criticism. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said it was a 'stupid thing to say.' Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said it was 'uncalled for.' Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he doesn’t take Trump 'literally.'"
