Democrats accuse the Trump administration of sidestepping Congress by notifying lawmakers it would proceed with a more-than-$700 million arms sale to Turkey without standard congressional review or a written justification. Rep. Gregory Meeks says the State Department offered no emergency basis and refused repeated briefings, raising concerns about Turkey's possession of Russia's S-400 system. The notification arrives ahead of President Trump's planned visit to Turkey; it is unclear whether U.S. fighter jets are included.
Democrats Say Trump Bypassed Congress to Fast-Track $700M Turkey Arms Sale
President Donald Trump speaks about Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting with Mark Rutte, secretary general of NATO, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI
Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday accused the Trump administration of attempting to rush through a more-than-$700 million arms sale to Turkey by circumventing the standard congressional review process, a move critics say undermines legislative oversight.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was notified late Tuesday that the State Department planned to proceed with formal notification of the sale without the usual congressional briefings or written justification.
"The State Department did not even attempt to justify its decision," Meeks said in a statement.
Meeks added that the department "did not invoke any emergency authority, did not present a written rationale and for months refused to make a good-faith effort to brief me on implications of the sale for the U.S.-Turkey relationship, Turkey's continued possession of the Russian S-400 system and other regional security concerns." He noted that much of the equipment reportedly would not be delivered for several years, arguing there was no urgency that warranted bypassing Congress.
Turkey is a NATO member and U.S. partner with a substantial defense industry. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has nonetheless drawn concern from Washington and NATO for acquiring Russia's S-400 Triumf air-defense system, a procurement that led to Turkey's removal from the F-35 fighter program in 2019.
President Trump is scheduled to visit Ankara next month. At a White House press event on Tuesday alongside Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Trump described Erdogan as "a great friend." Asked whether he might announce a major defense deal during the visit, Trump said, "I'm going to probably do something that's going to make him very happy." It remained unclear whether U.S. fighter jets were part of the notified sale.
UPI has contacted the State Department seeking comment and a detailed list of the items included in the sale.
Broader Concerns Over Executive Authority
Democrats and other critics argue the episode fits a broader pattern in which the administration has used executive authority in ways that sidestep Congress. Opponents have pointed to several recent controversies — including U.S. military actions in the Middle East and maritime operations targeting suspected drug trafficking — and said those actions raise constitutional questions about the balance of war powers and congressional oversight. Supporters of the administration say some decisions are lawful and necessary for timely diplomacy and security cooperation.
Key takeaway: Lawmakers say the lack of a written rationale and minimal briefings deprived Congress of its oversight role; the State Department has not yet publicly explained the legal basis for bypassing the review.
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