Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reforms Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability

Fact Sheets

TLDR

This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that aims to streamline foreign defense sales by reducing regulations, focusing on “priority partners,” and emphasizing economic benefits. Concerns include potential reduction of important oversight safeguards, unclear partner selection criteria, prioritization of sales over strategic partnerships, unsubstantiated claims about military recruiting, references to non-existent weapons systems (F-47 fighter and “Golden Dome” missile defense), and emphasis on sales volume rather than comprehensive security frameworks.

This is a fact sheet for an executive order designed to streamline and accelerate the foreign defense sales process. The policy claims to improve transparency, reduce regulations, promote U.S. competitiveness abroad, and strengthen the defense industrial base. It requires the Secretaries of Defense and State to develop a list of priority partners and submit a plan within 90 days to improve the sales system.

The order and fact sheet present several concerning issues:

The directive to “reduce rules and regulations” in defense sales may undermine important safeguards designed to prevent U.S. weapons from being misused or transferred to third parties. While efficiency is valuable, many existing regulations serve crucial oversight functions.

The Order emphasizes “chosen partners” and “priority partners” without establishing clear criteria for selection. This ambiguity could lead to preferential treatment based on political considerations rather than strategic importance or human rights records.

The policy frames defense sales primarily as economic opportunities rather than security partnerships. While U.S. competitiveness is important, prioritizing sales volume over strategic alignment risks compromising long-term security interests.

Claims about “massive surge” in Army recruiting lack specific metrics and context. Recruiting challenges have been widespread across military branches in recent years, and significant structural issues remain unaddressed.

The document references an “F-47” sixth-generation fighter jet, but no such program has been publicly acknowledged by the Pentagon or defense contractors. The U.S. is developing a sixth-generation fighter under the Next Generation Air Dominance program, but it has not been designated as the F-47.

Similarly, the “Golden Dome for America” missile defense system is not an established program in the U.S. military’s publicly acknowledged missile defense architecture.

The policy promotes “burden-sharing” among allies but primarily focuses on increasing weapons sales rather than developing comprehensive security frameworks or addressing complex regional security challenges.

While improving efficiency in defense sales has merit, this Order appears to prioritize speed and sales volume over strategic considerations and oversight. The lack of specific metrics for accountability and transparency is particularly concerning given the goal of streamlining the approval process. The Order’s emphasis on industrial benefits rather than security partnerships represents a significant shift in how the U.S. approaches defense cooperation.

ENSURING A RAPID AND TRANSPARENT FOREIGN DEFENSE SALES SYSTEM: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to improve speed and accountability in the defense sales system. This 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 U.S. foreign policy objectives.
  • Reduces rules and regulations involved in developing and executing foreign defense sales to ensure they advance U.S. interests.
  • Promotes U.S. competitiveness abroad, revitalizes the defense industrial base at home, and delivers cost efficiencies for the United States and trusted our 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.

ENABLING EFFECTIVE DEFENSE COOPERATION: President Trump is committed to ensuring America maintains the world’s strongest and most technologically advanced military, supported by a robust network of capable partners and allies.

  • Developing a rapid and transparent foreign defense sales system that enables effective defense cooperation between the United States and our chosen partners is foundational to these objectives.
  • Streamlining the foreign defense sales process will inject credibility into U.S. defense cooperation efforts by reducing delays, improving efficiency, and enhancing the ability of allies to procure critical defense technologies in a timely manner, in turn facilitating more effective joint operations as well as greater burden-sharing.
  • In tandem, this mutually reinforcing approach will enhance United States warfighting capabilities by fostering stronger American supply chains, domestic production levels, and technological development.
  • The Trump Administration aims to strengthen allied burden-sharing, promote global stability, and enhance U.S. strategic influence in key regions.
    • The Executive Order ensures that America and its allies remain well-equipped to counter emerging threats and promote peace and security around the world.

PRIORITIZING U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump has consistently prioritized America’s military greatness and the safety of the American people by investing in military readiness, strengthening national defense, and supporting the men and women who serve this great nation.

  • President Trump wants to build up the U.S. military and ensure that our forces remain prepared to meet any challenge.

    • Under his leadership, our military is restoring a warrior ethos.

    • Army recruiting has recently seen a massive surge, reflecting renewed enthusiasm for military service with President Trump back in office as Commander in Chief.

  • These reforms will drive the competitiveness of the U.S. defense industrial base and prioritize speed to minimize process delays.

  • The Trump Administration has prioritized cutting-edge military technologies, including the recently announced sixth-generation stealth fighter jet, the F-47.

  • President Trump has repeatedly stressed the need for increased burden-sharing by NATO allies.

  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to create the ‘Golden Dome for America’ missile defense system.