As Trump is making it easier for US defense firms to sell products abroad, he has signed an executive order to review the rules for exports of US military equipment.

With that, there’s a new unified digital system that is seen as a crucial step in overcoming the inefficiencies that have long been occurring in the US defense export system.

What’s the New Executive Order?

Trump planned an order that would help govern the rules governing exports of US military equipment. It was similar legislation that was proposed by Michael Waltz last year when he was still a Republican member of the House of Representatives, who is now Trump’s national security adviser.

This executive order will help achieve the goal of modernizing the defense procedure, and it is created to make the process easier for exporting rules and increase transparency and accountability.

According to the White House, the executive order will “improve speed and accountability in the defense sales system,” reducing barriers that have delayed weapons transfers to trusted allies.

The goal is to rework the system to review and approve international arms sales.

White House aide Will Scharf stated at the signing ceremony, “We’re unable to provide weapons systems in a reliable, effective way to key allies of ours,” referring to the delays to system inefficiencies.

Why Was It Signed?

With the executive order, US officials are now instructed to identify a list of partners that are prioritized for future arms transfer and to make sure that the key military equipment is prioritized as well for expedited delivery.

The Secretaries of Defense, State, and Commerce are required to submit a plan that introduces metrics, exportability, and consolidation of the approval process within 90 days.

“These measures will inject credibility into US defense cooperation efforts by reducing delays, improving efficiency, and enhancing the ability of allies to procure critical technologies in a timely manner,” the White House said.

According to the White House Fact Sheet, the order:

• Improves accountability and transparency throughout the foreign defense sales system to ensure predictable and reliable delivery of American products to foreign partners and allies in support of US foreign policy objectives.
• Reduces rules and regulations involved in developing and executing foreign defense sales to ensure they advance US interests.
• Promotes US competitiveness abroad, revitalizes the defense industrial base at home, and delivers cost efficiencies for the United States and our trusted allies and partners.
• Instructs the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State to develop a list of priority partners for conventional arms transfers and prioritize end items for potential transfer to those partners.
• Instructs the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State, along with the Secretary of Commerce, to submit a plan to the President within 90 days that improves defense sales transparency via accountability metrics, secures exportability as a requirement earlier in the acquisition cycle, and consolidates the sale approvals process.

How Would It Affect US Defense?

The new executive order that Trump signed is designed to make it easier for US defense companies to sell weapons to other countries while having the goal of strengthening US relationships with allies and helping the economy.

However, this could also affect the US defense. It could help companies stay competitive by allowing them to sell US military equipment faster, and it could also help US allies build their military power.

"With this executive order, we're going to be modernizing the procurement structure the Department of Defense uses to allow it to more quickly adapt to changing circumstances around the world," Scharf said.

How Would It Affect Arms Sales?

In the past, some countries waited for a long time for approval so they could buy US military weapons, and because of the new order that Trump signed, it will be easier now for other countries to buy US military equipment.

Given that it’s easier now for countries to buy equipment, it’s a great opportunity for US defense companies as well, as they can sell more US military equipment and make more sales, a situation that is favorable for both parties.

However, the executive order also changes some rules; it might be harder to keep track of where the US military equipment is going, as these weapons could end up in the hands of countries that use them in ways the US doesn’t support.

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Sources:

• Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reforms Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability
• Trump Signs Executive Order to Ease US Weapons Exports