Kenneth Glad
Decisions made in Washington often resonate thousands of miles away across complex global conflict zones. For decades, massive military aid packages have quietly shaped foreign alliances while triggering intense debates over civilian safety. Now, another shipment of heavy weaponry is moving forward despite fierce resistance on Capitol Hill.
The Trump administration has approved a controversial sale of 40,000 heavy bombs to Israel. Anonymous US officials confirmed the move to The Washington Post, with additional verification from The New York Times.
The package consists of 20,000 MK-84 munitions and 20,000 BLU-117 explosives, with each bomb weighing nearly 2,000 pounds. American taxpayer money will cover the purchase through the Foreign Military Financing program.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly condemned the deployment of these massive warheads in crowded cities. Upon impact, metal shrapnel flies hundreds of meters while the blast tears through thick reinforced concrete.
President Joe Biden previously paused shipments of these specific heavy weapons in 2024 over civilian death concerns in Gaza. President Donald Trump lifted that freeze shortly after taking office in early 2025.
Battle in Congress
Top lawmakers are already preparing to challenge the transaction. Representative Gregory Meeks, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, formally announced his opposition to the proposal on Wednesday.
Meeks emphasized that Congress holds a duty to ensure US-funded weapons are used legally and responsibly. His stance highlights growing frustration among Democrats who want stricter limits on overseas armaments.
Yet, stopping the delivery remains an uphill battle. Secretary of State Marco Rubio can invoke emergency procedures to bypass legislative review, a maneuver previous administrations have used to force weapons sales through.
Overriding an executive veto would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate, a tall order in a deeply divided Congress.
Shifting political tides
The clash erupts as public sentiment across the United States undergoes a major political transformation.
According to recent Gallup data, 41 percent of Americans now sympathize more with Palestinians, while 36 percent favor Israelis. That marks a historic reversal from traditional polling trends over past decades.
Even prominent conservative voices like Tucker Carlson and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have voiced sharp criticism over foreign war spending. With midterm elections drawing near, military aid to the Middle East is rapidly turning into a major campaign issue.
Sources: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Gallu
