WASHINGTON — President Bush vowed Tuesday to veto any legislation that would block a state-owned Arab company from managing the operations at six large U.S. seaports, setting up a major confrontation between the White House and its usually steadfast Republican allies in Congress.
Bush's threat came as the top Republicans on Capitol Hill -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois -- joined a chorus of lawmakers requesting that the port deal be reviewed because of national security concerns.
Under the controversial transaction, Dubai Ports World, a business owned by the United Arab Emirates, would operate ports in New York; Newark, N.J.; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Miami; and New Orleans. A British company had been in charge of the ports, but it was recently purchased by the Arab company. The sale is expected to be finalized in March.
The U.S. government, including officials from the Department of Homeland Security, reviewed the deal and approved it. But the political furor over that decision has been growing in the last few days.
Responding to bipartisan calls that the deal be revisited -- and perhaps disapproved -- Bush was blunt.
Lawmakers "ought to listen to what I have to say about this," he told reporters. "They ought to look at the facts and understand the consequences of what they're going to do. But if they pass a law, I'll deal with it, with a veto."
The president was noncommittal when asked if he would agree to let administration officials brief Congress on the agreement. He said the Arab company's record was "clear for everybody to see."
Legislators on both sides of the political aisle have questioned whether the deal would compromise security at the ports, with some noting links that the Sept. 11 terrorists had to the United Arab Emirates.
The Bush administration views that as an unfair attack on the country, which it defends as a strong ally in its war on terrorism. More broadly, criticism of the deal threatens the White House's efforts to build better relations in the Arab world.
The dispute threatens to undermine the one area where Bush remains popular with the public -- protecting the U.S. from terrorism -- and could give Democrats a political weapon to use against him during this year's congressional campaigns.
Frist, visiting the Port of Long Beach on Tuesday, set the stage for Bush's sharp remarks when he urged that the port deal be put on hold until the administration conducted a "more extensive review" of it.
