Acting on a previously stated intention, President Trump has rejected the $740 million National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a significant annual bill responsible for allocating funds to the military.

Earlier this month, the President indicated via social media that he would oppose the NDAA unless it was revised to incorporate provisions for “ending” Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a crucial, though previously little-known, internet law that has been a focus of the President’s criticism for much of the year.

“Your inaction regarding the termination of the extremely perilous national security concern posed by Section 230 will severely hinder our ability to conduct intelligence operations without revealing our actions at every stage,” President Trump stated in a message accompanying the veto. The precise meaning of this statement, and the President’s criticism of the military funding bill as a “ ‘gift’ to China and Russia,” remains unclear.

The President referenced “bipartisan requests” for Section 230’s repeal as justification for his decision, despite the NDAA receiving substantial bipartisan backing in Congress and the fact that reforming Section 230 was never seriously debated within the context of the military spending bill. The President also asserted that Section 230 “allows for the dissemination of foreign disinformation online,” a concern he has historically downplayed despite frequently sharing questionable information himself.

Section 230 gained prominence in 2020 as legislators, states, and the federal government took significant steps to regulate the largest and most influential companies in the technology sector. This law shields internet service providers from legal responsibility for content posted by their users and is broadly recognized as having facilitated the growth of both large and small internet businesses.

Seeking to exert pressure on tech companies that moderated his content, President Trump focused on Section 230 – and Twitter specifically – earlier this year. In May, the President signed an executive order targeting tech’s liability protections, though it lacked substantial enforcement power. “The decisions Twitter makes when it chooses to edit, blacklist, or shadowban are simply editorial choices,” the President remarked upon signing the order.

The President’s stance on Section 230 and the NDAA was not realistically achievable. While the NDAA is a comprehensive legislative measure encompassing numerous issues, modifying it to repeal Section 230 was never a viable option. Furthermore, the President’s position is widely unpopular. The NDAA provides funding for various aspects of the military, and this year’s bill includes pay increases for service members and enhanced healthcare benefits for Vietnam veterans.

President Trump’s views on Section 230 are particularly strong, even compared to many within his own political party. Although there is some support for modifying Section 230 across the political spectrum, Congress has not reached a consensus on the necessary changes, and a complex bipartisan reform process is currently underway. A complete elimination of Section 230 is highly unlikely to be the outcome of any Congressional reform efforts in the near future.

The House of Representatives intends to reconvene on Monday to attempt to override the President’s veto, which would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress. The House previously approved the NDAA with a veto-proof margin of 355-78, with widespread support from both Democrats and Republicans. The Senate also passed the legislation to the President with a similarly strong bipartisan vote of 84-13 on December 11.