Biden administration has put a temporary hold on several major foreign arms sales
The Biden administration has put a temporary hold on several major foreign arms sales initiated by former US president Donald Trump.
Officials say that among the deals being paused is a massive $23 billion transfer of stealth F-35 fighters to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The planned major sale of munitions to Saudi Arabia is also reportedly paused for now. Both sales were severely criticized by Democrats in Congress.
The new administration is currently reviewing the sales and has temporarily paused the implementation of foreign defense transfers and sales, the State Department said. It called the pause “a routine administrative action” that most incoming administrations take with large-scale arms sales to ensure U.S. arms sales meet its strategic objectives.
“When it comes to arms sales, it is typical at the start of an administration to review any pending sales, to make sure that what is being considered is something that advances our strategic objectives and advances our foreign policy,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press briefing.
The Trump administration authorized the new arms deals with the UAE after the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE, under which the Arab states agreed to normalize relations with Israel.
