Senate advances foreign aid bill defying Donald Trump, Internet deems it 'common sense'

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Senators went against former President Donald Trump and passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill on Sunday, February 11, reported Politico.

The Senate voted 67-27 to advance aid packages for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan on a rare occasion of voting on Super Bowl Sunday.

The foreign aid supplemental spending bill, as reported by The Hill, allocates $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for security assistance to Israel, $9 billion for humanitarian aid to Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine, and $4.8 billion to support allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

In a recent South Carolina rally, Trump had explicitly opposed the bill, stating, "You give it to 'em as a loan."

The bill received Senate's approval almost a week after the GOP Senators killed the long-awaited bipartisan border deal to protect the US-Mexico border amid the worsening migration crisis. Trump effectively pressured the Republican lawmakers to thwart the legislation to deny President Joe Biden's victory as the 2024 presidential election closes into a Biden-Trump rematch.

GOP Senators disobeyed Donald Trump's demand on Truth Social

The Republican frontrunner, in a Truth Social post on Saturday, demanded the Senate stop giving money to foreign countries unless it is a loan.

"IT CAN BE LOANED ON EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD TERMS, LIKE NO INTEREST AND AN UNLIMITED LIFE, BUT A LOAN NEVERTHELESS," he wrote.

According to Trump, the deal should be "contingent" on the condition that it should be repaid if the country ever turns against the US or turns wealthy in the future.

"WE SHOULD NEVER GIVE MONEY ANYMORE WITHOUT THE HOPE OF A PAYBACK, OR WITHOUT "STRINGS" ATTACHED. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SHOULD BE "STUPID" NO LONGER!" the ex-president added.

Responding to Trump's remarks, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis claimed "it's unlikely" that they will lose any more members. "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," he added.

Additionally, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in his floor speech, advocated for further aid, declaring disregard for global interest as a global power has no place in the US Senate.

Internet content as GOP Senators defy Donald Trump

Netizens breathed a sigh of relief after the Republican Senators went against Trump's wishes to kill the foreign aid bill just like the border deal. Social media users unanimously praised the Senators for resisting his pressure and standing up for the country.

One user said, "Common sense. Thank god."

Another user opined, "Thank God for a whiff of sanity - for a change." While a third user asked, "Are some GOP senators waking from their Trump coma?"

"Republicans need to understand this is not trumps business anymore. Stop listening to him," a user wrote.

One response read, "It’s great to see there are still some Republicans who still care about what is best for the country."

"Very glad to see enough GOP senators were able to resist his pressure this time," a sixth user added. 

Another relieved user said, "Decent people at last defying Trump."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.