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Donald Trump is President of the United States until January 20th
Photo: TOM BRENNER / REUTERS
Despite the strong support in Congress, US President Donald Trump has vetoed the approved defense budget.
Trump said he could not support the law.
The Republican justified the move on Wednesday with the lack of "critical measures" to protect national security.
"It is a 'gift' to China and Russia," he wrote in a communication to the House of Representatives.
Trump criticized the fact that online platforms would not be regulated more closely with the comprehensive legislative package.
He also criticized the fact that the possible renaming of military bases does not respect the history of the armed forces.
Trump also criticized the attempt to legally limit the withdrawal of soldiers from Afghanistan, South Korea and Germany that he had ordered.
Trump had already announced his veto.
His blockade could, however, be overruled by a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives and in the Senate - that is, in both chambers of Congress.
Both chambers had originally passed the package with more than a two-thirds majority each.
The legislative package on the defense budget comprises more than 4,500 pages and provides for a budget of around 740 billion dollars (around 610 billion euros).
As usual in the USA, the package also deals with numerous regulations that are not directly related to the financing of the armed forces.
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kim / dpa / Reuters / AFP