The Senate has overwhelmingly voted in favor of levying strong sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea, Reuters tweeted late Thursday afternoon, with a final vote of 98–2.
BREAKING: Senate votes overwhelmingly for new sanctions on Russia, Iran, North Korea, despite Trump administration's concerns pic.twitter.com/F4OsghIsvy
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 27, 2017
The move forces President Donald Trump’s hand on a politically sensitive issue, pressuring him to either veto the bill—which would likely cause a rebellion in Congress—or sign off on it, a move that would damage any attempts to cozy up to the Russian president.
After the House of Representatives passed the bill on Tuesday by a whopping 419 votes, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the chamber “insolent” and promised that he would retaliate should the Senate pass the measure. Putin has reportedly told aides he would consider expelling or restricting the operations of American diplomats and businesses within the country.
