Despite the initial defeats, the persistence of the anti-arms-sale movement began to show tangible results in subsequent voting rounds. By mid-2025, when Sanders introduced a resolution to block a separate $675 million sale of bombs and 20,000 automatic assault rifles, the numbers within the Democratic caucus began to move. While the resolution failed to pass the full Senate, more than half of the Democratic caucus—27 senators—voted to block the sale of the assault rifles, and 24 supported the measure to halt the bomb sales. This marked a sharp increase from previous attempts, where only 18 Democrats had stood with Sanders. This shift suggests that the “unshakeable” consensus on military aid is fracturing, driven by pressure from a younger, more progressive electorate that is increasingly skeptical of traditional foreign policy alliances. Continue reading…
