‘Republicans have a death wish’

Donald Trump, facing a humiliating first veto override of his presidency, lashed out at Republican leaders in Congress on Tuesday as relations soured ahead of a crucial pair of runoff elections in Georgia that could determine control of the Senate. 

The 74-year-old Trump, in a series of tweets from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he is on vacation, took aim at erstwhile close ally Senator Mitch McConnell, the powerful Republican Majority Leader.

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"Weak and tired Republican 'leadership' will allow the bad Defense Bill to pass," Trump said of the looming override by the Senate of his veto of the National Defense Authorization Act.

"A disgraceful act of cowardice and total submission by weak people to Big Tech," said Trump, who vetoed the defense bill in part because it does not repeal Section 230, a federal law that provides liability protection to internet companies.

"Negotiate a better Bill, or get better leaders, NOW!" he said. "Senate should not approve NDAA until fixed!!!"

McConnell shrugged off Trump's tweets and scheduled a vote to override the president's veto of the defense bill for Wednesday. But Senator Bernie Sanders filed a procedural objection that could end up delaying the vote until at least Friday.

Trump also criticized McConnell's refusal to allow a vote in the Senate to increase coronavirus relief payments to Americans to $2,000 from $600, a move approved by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives already with wide bipartisan support.

"Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP," Trump said. "$600 IS NOT ENOUGH!"

In a twin rebuke to the president, McConnell objected to holding a vote on increasing the direct payments while also calling for the White House veto of the fiscal 2021 defense bill to be rejected.

The House voted 322 to 87 on Monday to override Trump's veto of the $740.5 billion defense bill, with 109 Republicans breaking ranks and siding with the Democrats.

The motion will also have to gain two-thirds support in the Senate to override the president's veto.