The U.S. Senate on Monday failed to block the controversial sale of certain weapons worth $8.1bn to Saudi Arabia.
President Donald Trump’s had used his veto power to override resolutions passed by both chambers of Congress preventing the sale.
In the first of three separate efforts to overturn the Republican president’s vetoes, supporters failed by a vote of 45-40, well short of the two-thirds needed. Five of the chamber’s 53 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to override Trump.
The vote tallies were similar in the two subsequent roll-call votes to override vetoes of legislation blocking additional weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
Critics fear the weapons may be used on civilians in the Yemen conflict.
Trump has argued that cutting off the Saudi weapons sales would weaken U.S. relations with a longtime ally and hurt U.S. competitiveness.