Executive Order 14383, signed Feb. 6, 2026, directs the government to establish an America First Arms Transfer Strategy for arms sales and transfers. The order was published in the Federal Register on Feb. 11, 2026.
The order says American-made military equipment is the best in the world and has produced American dominance in international defense exports. It says the United States should use that advantage as a tool of foreign policy and as a way to expand domestic production and transfers. It calls the strategy the first of its kind and says it is meant to keep military dominance and technological superiority, support a ready and resilient national security industrial enterprise, and strengthen the defense industrial base for the U.S. military and for allies and partners as burden-sharing increases.
The order states that U.S. policy is to use arms transfers as foreign policy and to expand strategically relevant industrial production in the United States. It calls for the strategy to give clear direction to arms-transfer stakeholders and for agencies to streamline defense-sales processes.
The order sets four objectives. The United States is to use sales and transfers to increase production of weapons and platforms the Secretary of War determines are most relevant to the National Security Strategy. Foreign purchases and capital are to support domestic reindustrialization, expand capacity, and improve resilience of the defense industrial base, including by encouraging new and nontraditional defense companies. Sales and transfers are also to reinforce Department of War acquisition and sustainment, build supply-chain resilience, and avoid adding to backlogs on priority parts and finished items that affect U.S. or allied and partner readiness.
The order says that, consistent with an April 9, 2025, executive order on reforming foreign defense sales, the United States will prioritize partners that have invested in their own defense, that have a critical role or location in U.S. plans and operations, or that contribute to U.S. economic security.
Within 120 days of the order, the Secretary of War, with the secretaries of State and Commerce, must send the President a sales catalog of platforms and systems the United States should encourage allies and partners to acquire. The catalog is to go through the assistant to the President for national security affairs and follow criteria in the strategy. In the same period, the Secretary of Commerce, with State and War, must recommend ways to strengthen advocacy for foreign purchases of defense articles made in America.
Also within 120 days, the secretaries of State and War, with Commerce, must identify Foreign Military Sales and Direct Commercial Sales opportunities that support the strategy and growth of the U.S. defense industrial base. Within 60 days, those officials must develop an industry engagement plan and send it to the President through the national security assistant so the government can coordinate with American stakeholders.
Within 90 days, the Secretary of War, with the Secretary of State, must set criteria for which weapons, platforms, or capabilities require enhanced end-use monitoring. The secretaries of State, War, and Commerce must also form a coordination group of designees from each department to improve end-use monitoring. The order does not set a deadline for creating that group. It says the actions are to improve information sharing, help ensure allies and partners meet U.S. requirements, and reduce the risk of diversion.
Within 60 days, the Secretary of State, with the Secretary of War, must review third-party transfer processes and send the President a plan, through the national security assistant, to reduce and possibly realign that process, with consideration of technology security risks. Within 90 days, the Secretary of War, with State, must create a process to give allies and partners advance notice, as appropriate, of upcoming contracting actions and deadlines tied to Foreign Military Sales letters of offer and acceptance. The three secretaries must coordinate when assessing how Direct Commercial Sales affect the defense industrial base.
To streamline notices to Congress, the order amends a March 8, 2013, executive order on reformed export controls. It assigns certain notification duties to the Secretary of War, who must consult the Secretary of State and, for two of those duties, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Other notification duties remain with the Secretary of State, who must tell the Secretary of War before formally notifying Congress of proposed arms transfers.
Within 30 days, the three secretaries must establish a Promoting American Military Sales Task Force to coordinate the strategy and improve accountability and transparency. The assistant to the President for national security affairs, or a designee, is to chair it. Members are the under secretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment, the under secretary of State for arms control and international security, and the under secretary of Commerce for international trade.
The task force must write a charter defining its objectives and structure. It is to include, as ex officio members, the service acquisition executives of the military departments and representatives of other non-military implementing agencies as appropriate, to report on steps to speed contracting of priority Foreign Military Sales cases and ensure exportability of identified priority systems. It is to meet quarterly, or as required, to review progress, including whether targeted defense sales align with the strategy.
Within 120 days, and to further the April 9, 2025, reforms, the three secretaries must begin publishing aggregate quarterly performance metrics on Foreign Military Sales case development and execution and on decisions on Commerce and State export licenses. The order says it is to be carried out consistent with applicable law and available appropriations, and that it does not create an enforceable right or benefit against the United States.