The Secretary of State says a review of the Trump administration’s arms sales is aimed at ensuring they advance the U.S. ‘strategic goals’.
The United States is reviewing arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorized by former President Donald Trump, a move that Secretary of State Antony Blinken said was “normal” of a new administration.
At his first press conference on Wednesday, Blinken said the review aims to “ensure that what is seen as something that furthers our strategic goals and furthers our foreign policy ”.
“That’s what we’re doing at this stage,” he told reporters.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday that the Biden administration has temporarily frozen billions of dollars in arms sales to the two countries, including arms sales led by Saudi Arabia and militants F-35 to UAE.
The move comes a week after Biden, who has promised to “re-evaluate” Washington’s relationship with Riyadh, was established. Since taking office, he has signed a series of actionable actions to revise or reverse some of Trump’s key policies.
Trump looked at the U.S.’s close relationship with both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to his strong support for Israel and the “most pressure” campaign against Iran.
In May 2019, the U.S. vice-president declared a national emergency over a conflict with Iran to protest against Congress over the sale of $ 8bn worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan.
The Trump administration also authorized $ 290m worth of small arms sales to Saudi Arabia at the end of December last year.
The Trump administration informed Congress in November that it had approved the sale of more than $ 23bn in advanced weapons systems, including F-35 fighter jets and armed drones, to the UAE.
That news came shortly after the Emirati government agreed to normalize relations with Israel in a deal made by the US.
“This is in recognition of our deep relationship and the UAE’s need for advanced defense capabilities to deter and defend itself against heightened threats from Iran,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement at the time.
Rights groups have denied the sale, saying it could boost regional fuel, especially in Libya and Yemen, where the UAE and Saudi Arabia have waged a devastating war against the country’s Houthi rebels.
Republican and Democratic lawyers also became involved in an arms movement, saying it would help a “dangerous arms race”.
Legislators pushed bipartisan resolutions trying to suspend the treaty, but their efforts failed in the U.S. Senate, where two procedural votes did not get a majority in the the room.
Trump had threatened to thwart any transport attempt to halt the sales, too.