Bernie Sanders Demands US End Arms Sales to UAE Over Sudan Atrocities

The senator’s demand follows reports that the Rapid Support Forces have encircled El Obeid, a city housing half a million people, employing a siege strategy that UN human rights experts have likened to the massacre at El-Fasher. While the UAE denies involvement, evidence suggests the state has funneled weapons through Chad and provided mercenary support to sustain the militia’s campaign. Sanders contends this backing is driven by the extraction of Sudanese gold, which enriches Emirati elites.

Financial entanglements between the UAE and the Trump family have complicated the legislative response. Recent disclosures show President Trump received $263 million through a stake sale in his cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, to a fund linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Despite these ties, critics note that the administration has fast-tracked over a billion dollars in weapons sales to the Emirates during its current term. Efforts in Congress to restrict these transfers, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Sara Jacobs, have faced significant hurdles. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently rejected amendments to block arms shipments, opting instead for a bill that provides only optional sanctions against individual suppliers.