Trump Signs America First Arms Transfer Strategy Executive Order

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 6, 2026, establishing the America First Arms Transfer Strategy. The policy shifts U.S. foreign military sales from a first-come, first-served model to a prioritized system that favors partners who invest heavily in their own self-defense, occupy strategically critical geographies, or contribute to U.S. economic security.

The administration aims to leverage over $300 billion in annual defense sales to reindustrialize the U.S. national security industrial base and eliminate production backlogs. The White House stated that previous partner-first approaches caused delivery delays and cost overruns. To implement the strategy, the order creates the Promoting American Military Sales Task Force and mandates that the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Commerce develop a prioritized sales catalog of platforms and systems within 120 days.

Additional mandates include streamlining bureaucratic processes, such as third-party transfer approvals and end-use monitoring. While the order does not name specific nations, the White House highlighted implications for security actors in the Indo-Pacific, including India. Analysts suggest the focus on critical geography could benefit Taiwan, potentially pressuring Taiwan's legislature to approve a NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget to align with the U.S. requirement for partners to invest in their own defense.