Key Points:
- President Trump signed an order changing how the U.S. sells weapons.
- Nations that spend more on defense will now get priority access.
- The old “first-come, first-served” delivery system is officially over.
- The strategy aims to use foreign money to boost American manufacturing.
President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Friday that completely changes how the United States sells weapons to foreign countries. Called the “America First Arms Transfer Strategy,” the order directs the government to prioritize selling military gear to nations that spend a lot on their own defense and hold strategic importance.
For decades, the U.S. generally operated on a “first-come, first-served” basis. If a country was approved to buy jets or missiles, they got in line based on when they asked. That system is now gone. The new rules say that if a country invests heavily in its own military and sits in a critical region, it gets to jump to the front of the line.
The White House did not name specific countries that will benefit, but the criteria are clear. This move aligns with recent global trends, specifically after NATO leaders supported a new defense spending target of 5% of GDP in 2025. The administration wants to reward allies who are serious about paying for their own protection.
This isn’t just about military strategy; it is also about the economy. The White House explicitly stated that future sales must build American production capacity. The goal is to use foreign purchases to pump money into U.S. factories. By focusing on big spenders, the administration hopes to revitalize the domestic industrial base.
To make this work, the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Commerce have a new task. They must develop a specific sales catalog of prioritized weapons systems. They will identify sales opportunities that match the new strategy, ensuring that the right weapons go to the right partners.
The order also attacks bureaucratic red tape. The administration plans to streamline how they monitor weapons and handles transfers to third parties. They argue that the old approach caused massive backlogs and delivery delays because orders didn’t match what U.S. factories could actually produce.
By shifting focus to high-spending partners, the Trump administration believes it can solve two problems at once. They aim to strengthen key allies who are vital for regional security while simultaneously boosting American manufacturing jobs.
