US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that changes Washington’s approach to US arms exports by introducing a system of priorities for foreign buyers. Reuters reports.
According to the document, the first priority for arms purchases will be given to states that are actively increasing defense spending and play a key strategic role in their regions. The new mechanism should accelerate the supply of weapons to allies and at the same time stimulate the expansion of the production capabilities of the US defense industry through foreign contracts.
The White House explained that the previous sales model actually operated on a first-come, first-served basis, which caused delays and an imbalance between the volume of orders and actual production capabilities. The updated approach involves simplifying bureaucratic procedures, strengthening control over the end use of weapons, and facilitating their transfer to third parties.
As part of the implementation of the decree, the Ministries of Defense and Commerce, as well as the State Department, will form a list of priority platforms and outline the directions of future contracts. Specific countries are not named in the document, however, in 2025, NATO countries have agreed to gradually increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, which meets the new criteria of the American administration.
