House and Senate appropriators provided plenty of verbal and financial support for European allies as part of a $839 billion defense spending bill released Tuesday. The appropriations measure arrives as President Donald Trump is rattling the NATO alliance over his desire to take over Greenland.
The legislation, which would provide Pentagon programs with $8.4 billion more than Trump requested, is part of a package of spending bills the House is expected to vote on this week.
Lawmakers did not ultimately include language aimed at reining in Trump’s activities in Venezuela, as some publicly sought. However, they did include $400 million to support Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia and $1 billion to boost Taiwan’s defense capabilities amid ongoing threats from China.
The negotiated compromise also “underscores Congress’ ironclad support for NATO and all its thirty-two member states,” the bill’s report says.
