U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would re-prioritize the customer list for U.S. weapons in favor of countries with higher defense spending and strategic importance in their region, the White House said on Friday, APA reports citing Reuters.
The executive order establishing the "America First Arms Transfer Strategy" marks a significant shift in U.S. arms sales policy. It directs federal agencies to prioritize foreign military sales to partners that have invested substantially in their own self-defense capabilities and occupy critical roles or geographies.
"Future arms sales will prioritize American interests by using foreign purchases and capital to build American production and capacity," the White House said in a fact sheet accompanying the order.
