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Trump blows off Congress inquiry on Lebanon aid freeze

The White House has missed a deadline to justify freezing $105 million in military aid to Lebanon, two congressional aides told Al-Monitor.
Workers unload artillery, part of a military donation from the U.S. government to the Lebanese army, during a ceremony at Beirut's port February 8, 2015. More than 70 M198 Howitzers, as well as 26 million rounds of ammunition including small, medium, and heavy artillery rounds, were delivered on Sunday  from the United States as military aid to the Lebanese army. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - GM1EB281REZ01

The White House blew through a Friday deadline to justify its decision to freeze $105 million in US military aid for Lebanon to Congress, two congressional aides told Al-Monitor. The administration of President Donald Trump has not explained the controversial move to Congress in repeated meetings.

Last week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., asked Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney to provide a rationale for the hold, and whether the White House consulted the State and Defense Departments before making the decision.

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