US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the United States to prioritize arms sales to countries that spend more on defense and hold strategic importance in their regions. The decision forms part of the administration’s new defense policy.
Reuters reported this, citing a White House statement.
Decision details
The document approves the so-called “America First Arms Transfer Strategy,” which significantly changes the US approach to exporting defense products. From now on, federal agencies must give priority to partners that invest in their own defense capabilities and play a key role in regional security.
The executive order does not name specific countries. However, it instructs the Departments of Defense, State, and Commerce to develop a list of priority weapons and systems for sale and to identify deals that align with the new strategy.
An accompanying fact sheet states that future arms sales should “prioritize American interests by leveraging foreign purchases and capital to expand American production and capacity.”
The order also calls for cutting bureaucratic procedures, strengthening end-use monitoring, and reviewing third-party transfer mechanisms. These steps aim to reduce delivery delays and increase transparency.
Context
For decades, the United States exported arms on a first-come, first-served basis. Washington granted priority to specific countries only in exceptional cases. The White House says this approach overloaded production lines and caused delivery delays.
The decision comes amid rising defense spending in NATO. In 2025, allies backed a new benchmark of allocating 5% of GDP to defense. The Trump administration stresses that the new strategy should both strengthen US national security and stimulate the American defense industry.
At the same time, in December, President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 (NDAA). The law includes security assistance for Ukraine: USD 800 million under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Authorities plan to allocate the funds to purchase US-made weapons for the ZSU in two tranches, in 2026 and 2027.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that the European Union and Ukraine increasingly discuss the need for rearmament and stronger defense capabilities amid deteriorating transatlantic relations.
