Trump Bypasses Congress $660M Israel, $16.5B Gulf Arms
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Marco Rubio invoked an emergency waiver on March 6 to bypass congressional review of a $660 million weapons sale to Israel.
- U.S. State Department approved at least $16.5 billion in potential arms sales to the UAE, Jordan, and Kuwait two weeks later, also using an emergency waiver.
- Mike Pompeo in 2019 waived congressional review for arms sales to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, citing Iranian aggression and regional volatility.
- Biden administration used emergency waivers to expedite weapons sales to Ukraine in 2022 and 2024, and to Israel in late 2023.
- Experts warn that the growing use of waivers erodes congressional oversight, raising concerns about fueling conflict and human‑rights abuses.
Why it matters: Israel, the UAE, Jordan and Kuwait gain immediate access to advanced weapons, while Congress loses its statutory review role, potentially weakening oversight and increasing the risk that U.S. arms fuel conflicts or human‑rights violations. The waivers also signal a broader shift toward executive‑driven arms sales, reducing transparency and raising concerns about the U.S. role in regional conflicts.
