Trump on Tuesday threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill to authorize defense spending, demanding that Congress first reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

"I think there's great opportunities for the president to help us get a year-end funding bill done, to get a follow up to the CARES Act - that may be in the funding bill - done, and let that be a great legacy".

"I would hope that he would not actually follow through with that because the NDAA is critical", Sen.

President Trump is closing out his relationship with Congress with one more power jab, threatening to veto a hugely popular defense bill unless lawmakers clamp down on big tech companies he claims were biased against him during the election. But he also said he doesn't believe Trump will veto the must-pass defense bill. Beyond the bill's role in setting military personnel and acquisition policy, and securing a pay raise for troops, Smith touted its inclusion of new benefits for veterans exposed to Agent Orange.

"At this last minute, this sudden threat on an item that's not even part of a defense bill".

However, Trump remains a wildcard on whether he would sign off on plan, which could now reject his two veto demands made in recent months. "They're not going to have that shield".

Pool/Getty President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. on December 3, 2020.

Among other things, the Bill expresses support for the continued presence of USA forces in Germany and limits the ability of the Department of Defence to reduce the number of active-duty service members there below 34,500 without an assessment of its impact.

Trump has accused social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter of silencing conservative figures during his unsuccessful re-election campaign. That put Republicans in a tight spot as they aim to hold onto the support of the president and their base ahead of runoff elections In Georgia.

Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, called Trump's threat "shameless and indefensible". "This is not the place to look at it".

The bill "prevents reduction in the number of US forces stationed in Germany below 34,500 until 120 days after the Secretary of Defense submits an assessment and planning regarding the implications for allies, costs, military families, deterrence, and other key issues", according to a summary of the NDAA conference report released by the House Armed Services Committee.

Trump has been trying to repeal Section 230 for months, ramping up efforts (by which I mean tweets) after Twitter began flagging his tweets for violating their rules this summer.

"President Trump is right, totally".

Wicker told reporters he wasn't sure if his proposal would be accepted.

The final bill does not mention the piece of law regarding Silicon Valley, and instructs the Defense Department to change the names of the Confederate-titled installations within three years. In response, Trump continued his temper tantrum and claims he really will veto the bill, putting the military he always claims to support so much at risk of severe cuts.

Lawmakers on the NDAA conference committee are set to meet Wednesday over the legislation.

McEnany said there is bipartisan agreement that something needs to be done.

"The president is serious about it", she said at White House news conference Wednesday.