Trump IGNORES Congress, Uses EMERGENCY POWERS To Send Billion-Dollar Weapons To Mideast Allies

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:02]In a move that is drawing global attention, the Trump administration has invoked emergency powers to fasttrack more than 8.6 billion in arms sales to key Middle East allies, bypassing the usual congressional review process. The decision announced on May 1st allows Washington to push through major weapons deals to Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates without the standard scrutiny required under the Arms Export Control Act. Normally, lawmakers are given time to review and potentially block such sales. This time, the administration says the urgency of the situation left no room for delay. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the move by citing ongoing security threats in the region, particularly as the conflict involving Iran enters its ninth week with a fragile ceasefire still holding after weeks of intense fighting. At the heart of the package is a massive $4 billion deal with Qatar, which will receive advanced Patriot air and missile defense systems, including hundreds of PAC 2 and PAC 3 interceptor missiles. The goal to strengthen defenses against aerial threats in an increasingly volatile environment.

[00:01:21]Israel and the UAE are also set to receive advanced precision kill weapon systems or APKWS, laserg guided rockets designed to counter drones and smaller fastmoving targets. Israel's package alone includes nearly $1 billion in these systems along with thousands of rounds. Kuwait, meanwhile, will receive a $2.5 billion integrated battle command system aimed at enhancing coordination across its defense networks. US officials insist these sales are meant to boost defensive capabilities without altering the broader military balance in the region.

[00:02:00]But the scale and speed of the approvals tell a deeper story, one of mounting pressure, evolving threats, and a race to reinforce allies as tensions simmer.

[00:02:12]This latest move comes just months after Washington approved over $15 billion in additional arms deals, even before the current conflict escalated with missile exchanges, drone warfare, and proxy engagements now defining the battlefield. The message is clear. The Middle East is rearming rapidly, and the United States is moving just as fast to shape the outcome.

[00:02:39]A new flash point is emerging at one of the world's most critical choke point.

[00:02:44]Iran is preparing draft legislation that could fundamentally change who is allowed to sail through the straight of Hormuz, the narrow maritime artery through which a significant share of the world's oil and trade flows.

[00:02:59]The proposal revealed by Iran's deputy speaker of parliament Hammed Ra [ __ ] Babai and reported by Al Jazzer signals to Iran's intent to formalize wartime controls over the waterway long after the guns have quieted. According to [ __ ] Babai, the bill would permanently bar Israeli vessels from transiting the strait. Ships from countries deemed hostile would also be denied passage unless their governments first pay what he described as war reparations. All other ships, he said, would require prior permission from Iranian authorities before entering the channel.

[00:03:38]Shipping traffic will not return to what it was before the war, he warned, indicating a shift from temporary disruption to structured regulation. The announcement comes as the US raises its own red flags. In a formal alert, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control cautioned shipping firms that paying Iran for safe passage could expose them to sanctions. The notice stated that US persons are broadly prohibited from making payments to Iranian government entities, while non US firms could also face penalties if such payments cause American insurers, banks, or service providers to violate sanctions rules. OFAC said these payments could take many forms, including cash, digital assets, informal swaps, or inind transfers. Iran, meanwhile, insists it has already begun collecting tolls from some vessels seeking safe transit. [ __ ] Babai claimed the first such revenues had been deposited into the country's central bank, though no evidence or figures were provided and the claim has not been independently verified. Thrron has also accused the US of piracy for intercepting ships under a naval blockade that Washington imposed on Iranian ports in midappril.

[00:05:00]US Central Command said dozens of commercial ships have been turned back since the blockade began, dramatically reducing traffic through a straight that normally sees thousands of transits each month. The waterways disruption is already being felt beyond energy markets. The UN refugee agency has warned that rerouting aid shipments around Africa is doubling delivery times and sharply raising costs for humanitarian missions to conflict zones such as Sudan. This maritime standoff unfolds amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran that began on April 8th, followed by indirect talks through regional mediators. Iran's state news agency reported that tan recently sent a proposal aimed at ending the war, but US President Donald Trump responded coolly, saying he was unconvinced by the offer and describing Iran's leadership as disjointed. At stake is more than diplomacy. Control of the Strait of Hormuz now appears to be a central lever in Thran's post-war strategy. One that could redefine global shipping routes, energy markets, and the balance of power in the Gulf for months, if not years to come.

[00:06:21]Beijing has sent a clear message ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned visit to China. If the straight of Hormuz is still in crisis by the time Air Force One lands in Beijing, it will be on top of the agenda. Speaking to reporters in New York, China's permanent representative to the UN, Fukong, stressed that while the China US relationship goes far beyond the current crisis, the continued closure of the world's most vital energy choke point has become an unavoidable priority.

[00:06:56]Trump is scheduled to meet President Xihinping on May 14th 15th for a historic summit that was previously delayed by the outbreak of hostilities on February 28th. As the world's largest oil importer with nearly 40% of its crude passing through the straight, China views the restoration of navigation as a matter of urgent national and global interest. The responsibility for reopening the strait lies with both sides, Fu stated, calling for a synchronized deescalation where Iran lifts its restrictions and the United States terminates its retaliatory naval blockade. He expressed particular alarm over recent rhetoric from Washington, suggesting the current ceasefire is merely temporary, urging the international community to speak out against a resumption of kinetic operations.

[00:07:52]He also denied military collaboration of China with Iran in the hostilities which began in February 2026.

[00:08:01]>> So China's view is that we need to open the the the straight of hormones as quickly as possible. And that actually actually applies to both sides. Iran needs to uh uh lift its restrictions on the straight of Hus and the US need to lift its naval uh blockade. Frankly speaking, uh we are very concerned about some of the remarks we have been hearing recently about this ceasefire being temporary, about the need to to initiate another round of attack. I think the uh the international community should be mobilized and raise our voices against uh the resumption of fighting in that part of the world. I'm sure if uh the hormos is still closed by the time President Trump goes to China, this issue will be high on the agenda of the bilateral talk. And of course the uh the bilateral relationship between China and the US goes far beyond uh the issue of hormones. And I think it is in the interest of both countries and both peoples. And I may say for the entire world of of the people of the entire world that China and the US maintain steady and sound and sustainable uh relationship and uh yes in our belief uh if the two sides uh can show mutual respect and can uh stick to the principle of peaceful coexistence and the winning cooperation.

[00:09:40]uh the uh the the the rel this bilateral relationship can can prosper and as we often say that the world is big enough to accommodate both China and the United States. It doesn't have to be a zero sum game between the two countries. So uh the the the two sides as far as I know now in the here in New York as far as I know the two sides are making preparations for this historic visit and we do hope that this visit will materialize. So it is incumbent upon both China and the United States to help maintain the international order and to support the role of the UN and uh as the biggest financial contributors of the of the organization and there are a lot of commonalities in the positions in how the UN is is run. Of course I also want hasten to add that the UN is for all member states. So no big power should adopt this approach that that the interest of that big country should be put above the interest of the entire membership. But there are things that we do believe that China and US can work together. There is no military cooperation between China and Iran and we know that some of the uh the allegations from some of the US officials they were they were forced. Uh but uh we we we we we are very sympathetic to the what the Iranian people are enduring uh which actually the uh the as I said the illegitimate war uh that was that is imposed on the on the people and uh we do hope that uh we're trying our best uh to see to an end to the fighting and as much as we can we are supportive of the geographical rotation And also we want we also be happy to see uh a lady uh SG female SG. It has been uh 80 years and uh so if we can have uh uh the female uh SG, China will be very happy to see.

[00:12:00]But you can rest assured China will continue our support of the UN. We'll continue to to support our brother and sisters in the global south and as much as we can. As China grows, the ability of China to help these countries will also grow and we'll continue to do that.

[00:12:19]The Chinese ambassador's remarks reflect a delicate balancing act for Beijing.

[00:12:25]China has faced massive supply chain disruptions, though reports suggest some Chinese linked vessels have been granted passage by Thran after paying tolls in Yuan. China has positioned itself as a decisive arbiter, working through Pakistan to facilitate the original April 8th ceasefire and pushing for a long-term peace framework. While preparations for the Beijing summit remain on track, China has said it expects the US to transition from Operation Epic Fury to a sustainable diplomatic solution. If the blockade persists, the summit will likely pivot from trade and technology towards a highstakes negotiation over the future of Middle Eastern energy security.