WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and vocal critic of U.S. support for military campaigns in Yemen that have led to devastating humanitarian consequences, released a statement on Wednesday after President Trump called on Saudi Arabia to lift a blockade in Yemen that has prevented aid from flowing into the country and threatened to starve millions of Yemenis. Murphy has repeatedly urged the White House to halt some military sales to Saudi Arabia and called for further action by the United States to end military support for a war marked by humanitarian abuse.

"Though long overdue, I’m glad President Trump is calling on Saudi Arabia to immediately allow humanitarian aid and vital commercial goods like food, fuel and medicine to flow into Yemen. His statement is important, and I expect Saudi Arabia to heed our calls,” said Murphy. “The Trump administration must continue to make clear to Saudi Arabia that the U.S. will not support a campaign that intentionally starves civilians into submission.”

Last month, Murphy demanded that Saudi Arabia immediately lift the blockade. Murphy introduced bipartisan legislation to limit U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s military campaign in Yemen and called on the Saudi government to take action to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

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