US lawmakers challenge Trump official over Saudi arms sale

Using an obscure loophole in the Arms Export Control Act, the Trump administration authorised the sale of $8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates last month without Congressional review.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., accused the Trump administration of pointing to threats from Iran as a "convenient excuse" to push through the deal.

The top Republican on the panel, Michael McCaul of Texas, said "the recent use of this emergency authority in my judgment was unfortunate" and warned, "we certainly hope this is a one-time exception."

Read more: US senators want to block Trump Saudi arms sales with vote

Senior State Department official, R. Clarke Cooper defended that move to the Congressional panel Wednesday, saying the sale was necessary to protect US allies.

Cooper is the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.

Lawmakers pressed Cooper on the timeline of decision making leading up to the emergency declaration and the individuals involved.

The hearing on the arms sales prompted the latest display of anger in Congress over Trump's foreign policy and his administration's close ties to Saudi Arabia.

Concern over US-Saudi policy has been building for some time, in part due to the heavy civilian casualties from the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The anger reached a new level last year after the killing of US-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi.