US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that changes Washington's approach to arms exports. From now on, priority in the procurement of American weapons will be given to states with higher defense spending and a strategic role in their regions.
This is stated in the decree.
The document directs federal agencies to prioritize contracts with countries that are actively investing in their own defense and have important geopolitical importance. It is expected that this will allow for faster delivery of necessary weapons systems to allies and at the same time expand the production capacity of the US defense industry through foreign orders.
The White House noted that the previous sales system effectively operated on a queue basis, which led to delays and mismatches between order volumes and production capabilities. The new approach should streamline bureaucratic procedures, strengthen end-use controls, and simplify the transfer of weapons to third parties.
As part of the strategy, the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and State will form a list of priority platforms and determine the areas of future contracts.
The document does not name specific states, but in 2025, NATO countries agreed to move towards increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, which meets Washington's new criteria.