According to Reuters, President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order that will significantly alter the landscape of US military equipment exports. This move is expected to dramatically simplify the process, potentially easing restrictions on the sale of weapons to foreign nations.
The anticipated executive order closely mirrors a bill proposed last year by Trump’s former National Security Advisor, Michael Waltz. This legislation aimed to substantially increase the minimum value of arms sales that require congressional review. Specifically, the threshold for arms transfers would jump from $14 million to $23 million, while the threshold for sales involving equipment, upgrades, training, and services would rise from $50 million to $83 million.
Sources within both the arms industry and the government confirm the executive order’s alignment with Waltz’s proposed amendments to the US Arms Export Control Act. This suggests a deliberate effort to expedite the approval process for international weapons sales.
It’s important to note that current regulations already provide for higher thresholds for NATO members and close US allies like Japan, Israel, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. These allies benefit from a shortened 15-day notification period to Congress, compared to the 30-day period for other countries.
Trump has consistently voiced his disapproval of the bureaucratic complexities surrounding arms sales, frequently clashing with Congress over delays. A notable example is his 2019 decision to bypass congressional review by declaring a national emergency related to Iran. This allowed for the swift approval of over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates – deals that had been stalled for months due to congressional concerns about human rights and the Yemen conflict.
This latest executive order, if implemented as expected, represents a considerable shift in US policy towards arms exports. The potential ramifications are far-reaching and will undoubtedly spark debate among policymakers and international observers alike. The long-term impact on global security and geopolitical alliances remains to be seen.
