An upcoming executive order is expected to substantially increase the minimum value of weapons sales requiring congressional scrutiny.
President Trump is poised to sign an executive order designed to streamline regulations on military equipment exports, according to a Reuters report citing inside sources.
The executive order, expected soon, is likely to mirror legislation proposed by Michael Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor, during his time in the House of Representatives.
Sources in both the arms industry and government indicate the order will closely resemble Waltz’s bill, which aimed to revise the US Arms Export Control Act.
The proposed revisions would raise the value of deals triggering congressional review from $14 million to $23 million for arms transfers, and from $50 million to $83 million for sales of military equipment, upgrades, training, and related services.
Current regulations already have higher thresholds for NATO members and key US allies like Japan, Israel, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. For these countries, the administration needs to notify Congress 15 days before a sale, compared to the 30-day period for other nations.
Trump has long criticized the bureaucratic processes surrounding foreign arms sales and often clashed with Congress over delays during his first term. In 2019, he bypassed congressional review by declaring a national emergency related to tensions with Iran, allowing him to expedite over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
The deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE had been delayed for months, largely due to congressional concerns about their roles in the Yemen conflict and human rights issues following the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey.
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