Key Takeaways

  • The US President issued a new executive order on foreign arms sales.
  • The EO calls for reviews of the FMS program and direct commercial sales.
  • Potential changes include prioritizing countries with self-defense capabilities or critical geography.

Strategic Implications

This move may indicate a shift in the Trump administration’s priorities, focusing on economic and industrial aspects of the US arms trade. The creation of a ‘sales catalog’ could fundamentally change the FMS program, but its specifics are unclear. Prioritization of countries based on self-defense capabilities or geography could lead to changes in the manufacturing process.