Bernie Sanders is set to force a vote in the Senate aimed at blocking a nearly $1 billion weapons sale to the Israeli military. This move comes after the Trump administration approved a massive package of arms sales to allies in the Middle East while engaged in the Iran war. Sanders made his intentions clear at the flagship “No Kings” rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, stating, “I will be forcing a vote in the Senate on legislation to block the sale of nearly $1B in weapons to the Israeli military for bombs and bulldozers. A government that has committed genocide in Gaza does not need more military support from American taxpayers.” He then emphatically declared, “We must block the bombs and block the bulldozers.” Per The Times of Israel, the broader context for this vote is a series of arms deals announced by the Trump administration earlier in the year. They approved a staggering $6.67 billion in new arms sales to Israel. The timing is pretty significant, as it happened just as President Trump is pushing ahead with his ceasefire plan for Gaza, as a part of his Board of Peace, of which, inexplicably, Israel is a part. And Trump tried to say that Iran wasn’t about or for Israel Not everyone in Congress is thrilled with how the arms deal went down. Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the Trump administration of rushing these deals for Israel. He suggested they were doing so in a way that would “disregard Congressional oversight and years of standing practice,” adding that the administration has “blatantly ignored long-standing Congressional prerogatives.” On the other side, the State Department has defended the sales, issuing statements that none of the new equipment would disrupt the region’s military balance. They claim the sales would “enhance Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel’s borders, vital infrastructure, and population centers.” The department emphasized that the United States is “committed to the security of Israel.” Bernie Sanders: “I will be forcing a vote in the Senate on legislation to block the sale of nearly $1B in weapons to the Israeli military for bombs and bulldozers. A government that has committed genocide in Gaza does not need more military support from American taxpayers” pic.twitter.com/QVDTAOnIkq— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) March 28, 2026 Sanders’ announcement at the flagship “No Kings” rally on March 28th was part of a larger protest against Trump’s administration and its policies. Tens of thousands gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol, making it the largest protest in the state’s history, with organizers estimating around 200,000 attendees. Speakers and performers, including Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez, decried what they saw as authoritarian policies and ambitions. According to News from the States, Sanders himself spoke about American history, reminding the crowd that the nation’s founders loudly declared “we don’t want kings” in 1789. He reiterated that message, declaring, “No more kings. We will not allow this country to descend into authoritarianism or oligarchy. In America, We the People will rule.” If we are to have responsible, accountable, and transparent government; then the legislators who supported funding the means to continue genocide need to be held responsible, and pay reparations just as the ordinary citizen is, no? If the Epstein Class do not, is there democracy?— Jesse Noell (@noell_jesse) March 29, 2026 He also used the platform to rail against wealth inequality and the ongoing war in Iran, counting off the estimated deaths and massive costs. His call to block the arms sale clearly aligns with his broader critique of what he calls the “out-of-control militarism of the Trump administration.”