Military assistance to Egypt to the tune of $235 million is in flux after the shakeup of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairmanship, with a decision expected within 24 hours.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the newly appointed chairman of the committee, has until the end of the fiscal year — which comes this weekend — to decide whether to exercise a hold on millions of dollars in military financing for Egypt.
The stakes of the decision are high following the indictment of the former chairman of the committee, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). who is accused of working to benefit the government of Egypt in exchange for bribes.
“I should be in a position to evaluate what I have to do by tomorrow,” Cardin said during a roundtable briefing with reporters Thursday morning.
The Biden administration earlier this month issued a waiver to allow $235 million in military aid to Egypt to proceed, saying U.S. national security interests override human rights concerns in the country.
Cardin, as chairman, now has the opportunity to block the $235 million, but he said he’s going to speak with staff and try and speak with the administration before making a decision.
“I’m not yet one day old, and I need to have briefings from our staff and give the administration an opportunity to be heard on these issues. I recognize that some of these are a very tight time schedule, Egypt certainly in that category,” he said about military assistance.
Cardin called his elevation to the chairship an honor but added “the circumstances are tragic in how it occurred.”
Cardin said he would reserve comment on his predecessor’s charges until after the New Jersey senator addressed the Democratic caucus, which he is expected to do Thursday.
“I’m going to defer substantive answers in regards to Senator Menendez until after he’s had a chance to address our caucus this afternoon. At that, after that, I may have some things to say, but until then, I’m gonna reserve judgment,” he said.
Cardin also pointed out that the indictment did not implicate Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff or any other senators on the committee.
“I have total confidence in the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” he said.