President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing an “America First Arms Transfer Strategy” to boost domestic defense production through foreign weapons sales.
The directive aims to leverage international military exports to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity. The strategy marks a shift in how Washington approaches arms sales, explicitly prioritizing American industrial interests over traditional diplomatic considerations. It directs federal agencies to use foreign purchases to fund domestic production lines and attract new defense contractors.
Under the order, the Secretary of War must create a sales catalog within 120 days listing priority weapons systems for allied purchases. The document emphasizes selling platforms aligned with U.S. operational needs and the development of production capacity.
“American-manufactured military equipment is the best in the world, resulting in American dominance across international defense exports,” the order states. “It is critical that the United States fully use this comparative advantage in arms transfers as both a tool of foreign policy and a tool to expand domestic production and transfer.”
The directive establishes clear preferences for arms recipients. Countries that invest in self-defense, occupy strategic geography, or contribute to U.S. economic security will receive priority consideration for weapons purchases.
To streamline the traditionally bureaucratic arms transfer process, Trump ordered several procedural changes. These include developing clearer criteria for weapons monitoring and reducing third-party transfer restrictions that have frustrated allies.
A new Promoting American Military Sales Task Force will coordinate implementation across government agencies. The group, chaired by the National Security Advisor’s office, will meet quarterly to ensure sales align with strategic objectives.
The order also mandates quarterly publication of performance metrics on foreign military sales processing times. This transparency measure aims to address longstanding industry complaints about opaque government timelines.
Federal agencies must submit various implementation plans within 60 to 120 days. These include industry engagement strategies and recommendations for encouraging foreign procurement of U.S.-made defense articles.
The strategy explicitly links arms transfers to domestic reindustrialization goals. It directs officials to use foreign capital to support supply chain resilience and incentivize nontraditional defense companies to enter the market.