U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday directing a comprehensive review of regulations governing military equipment exports, aiming to simplify the process for American defense firms to sell their products overseas.
“We’re struggling to provide weapon systems to key allies in a consistent and efficient manner, and the root cause of this issue is the inefficiencies and inconsistencies in how we approve foreign military sales,” said White House aide Will Scharf during the signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
“This executive order directs the Department of Defense, the State Department, and other relevant agencies to reform the foreign defense sales system to ensure we can supply military equipment that supports American jobs and benefits U.S. defense manufacturers, while also ensuring our allies receive crucial weaponry in a reliable and effective manner,” he added.
Reuters previously reported on April 1 that Trump was preparing such an order, echoing a legislative proposal introduced last year by his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, during his tenure as a Republican congressman.
The move is expected to boost sales for major U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Boeing.
Under current law, the U.S. Arms Export Control Act grants Congress the authority to review arms sales to foreign nations, with scrutiny levels varying based on the country’s alliance status and the scale of the sale.
During his first term, Trump often expressed frustration with lawmakers who delayed foreign arms deals over concerns such as human rights violations.
In 2019, he angered members of Congress—including some Republicans—by invoking a national emergency over tensions with Iran. This allowed him to bypass the traditional congressional review process and fast-track over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.
At the time, lawmakers had been blocking these sales due to concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen and human rights abuses, including the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.
Additionally, Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday initiating a broader review of the Department of Defense’s procurement programs.
“This executive order will modernize the Pentagon’s procurement process to help it respond more swiftly to evolving global threats,” Scharf explained.
“We are also launching a review of existing procurement programs to ensure taxpayer money is well spent and that we deploy the most effective systems on the battlefield,” he added.
