Senators downplay Trump’s veto threat over renaming military bases

Senate Republicans have a simple message after President Donald Trump dashed off a tweet threatening to veto their must-pass defense policy bill over the renaming of bases named for Confederate leaders: Give it some time.

Republicans responded to Trump’s tweet by noting that the bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, is a long way from the President’s desk — arguing they had ample opportunity to address an amendment that calls for the removal of the names of Confederate leaders from all military assets within three years.

The amendment to rename military installations was added to the annual defense policy bill by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts when the Senate Armed Services Committee approved the legislation in June 2020. The issue of bases named after Confederate leaders, and Trump’s staunch resistance, has put Republicans in an awkward spot, dividing Senate Republicans who are facing reelection fights in 2020.