Saudi Arms Deals and Complicity in Yemen War Crimes

Overview

The Trump administration's relationship with Saudi Arabia was defined by arms sales, intelligence cooperation, and political protection. From the moment Trump landed in Riyadh on his first foreign trip in May 2017 — accompanied by Jared Kushner, who had developed a close relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — the U.S. deepened its involvement in the Saudi-led military coalition's war in Yemen.

The Yemen war began in 2015, but U.S. involvement deepened significantly under Trump. The administration:

1. Reversed Obama-era restrictions on precision-guided munitions sales
2. Maintained mid-air refueling support for coalition aircraft throughout 2017-2018
3. Continued intelligence-sharing and targeting support
4. Approved billions in additional weapons sales
5. Blocked accountability for coalition civilian casualties

The School Bus Strike

On August 9, 2018, a Saudi coalition airstrike hit a school bus carrying children from a summer Quran study program in the Dahyan market area of Saada governorate, Yemen. The strike killed 40 children, all between the ages of 6 and 11. Forty-four others were wounded.

Associated Press reporters who visited the site identified components from an MK-82 500-pound bomb — a U.S.-manufactured munition — in the wreckage. The bomb's guidance kit had been purchased from Lockheed Martin. Despite this, the Trump administration continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia and refused to conduct an independent investigation of the strike.

Congressional Opposition

In a rare bipartisan rebuke, Congress invoked the War Powers Resolution to direct the end of U.S. military involvement in the Yemen conflict. The resolution passed the Senate 54-46 and the House 247-175, with significant Republican support in both chambers.

Trump vetoed it on April 16, 2019 — only the second veto of his presidency. In his veto message, he described the War Powers Resolution as "an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my Constitutional authorities."

International Law Analysis

The UN Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen documented that the Saudi-led coalition committed violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on civilians, attacks on protected sites (hospitals, schools, markets), and the use of blockades that restricted the flow of food, fuel, and medicine — with U.S. knowledge and support. Human Rights Watch identified U.S.-manufactured weapons in multiple strike sites targeting civilian areas.

UN experts noted that the provision of arms to a party known to be committing violations of international humanitarian law — in the absence of credible steps to investigate and prevent future violations — may itself constitute complicity under international law.