February 6 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reprioritize the U.S. arms customer list to support countries with higher defense spending and strategic importance in the region, the White House said on Friday.
The executive order establishing the “America First Arms Transfer Strategy” marks a major shift in U.S. arms sales policy. It directs federal agencies to prioritize foreign military sales to partners that have made significant investments in their own self-defense capabilities and occupy key roles or geographic locations.
The move is aimed at accelerating the delivery of U.S.-made weapons to allies critical to regional security while using foreign purchases to expand domestic production capabilities. No countries are mentioned in the executive order.
NATO leaders backed a new defense spending target of 5% of GDP in 2025 and reaffirmed their commitment to mutual defense against attack.
“Future arms sales will prioritize U.S. interests by leveraging foreign procurement and capital to build U.S. production and capabilities,” the White House said in a fact sheet accompanying the order.
Under the new strategy, the Secretaries of Defense, Secretary of State, and Commerce are tasked with developing a sales catalog of priority platforms and systems and identifying sales opportunities consistent with strategic objectives.
For decades, sales were conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. This can only change if significant obstacles are encountered and specific countries are prioritized.
The executive order also calls for streamlining bureaucratic procedures, including strengthening end-use monitoring and third-party transfer procedures, to reduce delays and increase transparency.
The White House said the previous “partner first” approach resulted in production backlogs and delivery delays because orders did not match U.S. manufacturing capabilities. By prioritizing countries with higher defense spending and strategic importance, the Administration seeks to ensure that U.S. defense exports support national security and domestic industry.
(Reporting by Mike Stone, Costas Pitas and Christian Martinez; Editing by Jasper Ward and David Gregorio)
