On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration approved military sales to Israel worth about $7.4 billion. This decision was made despite a request from a Democratic lawmaker to delay the sale until more information was provided.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced that the State Department has approved a $6.75 billion military aid package for Israel. This package includes munitions, guidance kits and fuses, with Boeing Co. as one of the main contractors. The U.S. announced a $660 million deal to sell Hellfire Missiles to Israel, with Lockheed Martin as the main contractor. This announcement came during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, where he met with President Donald Trump, government officials and members of Congress.

Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticised the decision, saying it broke a long-standing tradition of allowing Congress to review major weapons sales. He added that the administration had not offered any substantial paperwork or explanation and that he had been talking to them about his worries regarding the transaction. “I continue to support Israel’s critical military needs as it faces a range of regional threats and was engaged in close consultation with the Administration on a range of questions and concerns,” Meeks said in a statement.

According to him, the ruling demonstrated a lack of regard for Congress as a coequal branch of government. “In the United States we do not have kings – we are a democracy rooted in the Constitution, governed by laws,” Meeks said.

The White House did not give an immediate response when asked for a comment. Back in January, officials from the U.S. government said that President Biden’s administration had informed Congress about an $8 billion arms deal with Israel. This followed the usual process, where key members of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees get a chance to review the deal and request more details before it is officially presented to Congress.

Donald Trump started his second term as president on January 20. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has built a strong relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, promising full support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza. This week, he surprised many by suggesting that the United States might take control of Gaza.

Since starting his second term, Trump has faced legal challenges over actions that critics argue bypass Congress, such as his moves to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Trump has also bypassed the usual weapons review process before. In 2019, during his first term, he declared a national emergency to approve the sale of over $8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan—ignoring human rights concerns raised by both Democrats and Republicans.

The high number of civilian casualties in Gaza has led some U.S. lawmakers to express concerns about human rights violations. On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a war in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities and caused widespread destruction in the region.