US Arms Export Licenses: Existing Approvals Remain Valid, Under Review

The United States exported 43% of all major weapons globally between 2020 and 2024, a substantial increase from the 35% share it held during the 2015-2019 period, according to data released this week by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The surge in US arms exports was largely driven by increased demand from Europe, which has grow increasingly reliant on American-made weaponry following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For the first time in two decades, the majority of US arms exports went to the European region, surpassing the Middle East as the primary destination. American-made weapons accounted for almost two-thirds of all arms imported by European members of NATO during the five-year period, up from just over half in the previous five years.

This trend coincides with repeated calls from successive US administrations for increased defense spending among NATO allies. During his first term, former President Donald Trump demanded European members meet a 2% of GDP defense spending target. As of 2024, 23 of 32 NATO members had reached that goal. Yet, Trump is now reportedly pushing for a significant increase to 5% of GDP, a demand that has prompted discussion within the European Commission, which announced a plan in March to provide €150 billion in loans to EU member states for military equipment purchases.

While US arms exports to Europe have risen dramatically, the global arms trade landscape has seen shifts elsewhere. Russia’s global arms exports declined by 64% between 2020 and 2024, while China’s fell by 5.4%. In contrast, the US experienced a 21% growth in arms exports over the same period. Other significant increases were observed in Italy (+138%), Spain (+29%), France (+11%), and South Korea (+4.9%).

The top ten arms importers globally from 2020-2024 were Ukraine (8.8% of global imports), India (8.3%), Qatar (6.8%), Saudi Arabia (6.8%), Pakistan (4.6%), Japan (3.9%), Australia (3.5%), Egypt (3.3%), the United States (3.1%), and Kuwait (2.9%).

The US State Department maintains that arms transfers and defense trade are key tools of foreign policy, with decisions weighed against a range of factors including political, social, human rights, economic, military, nonproliferation, technology security, and conclude-utilize considerations.

Despite the increased reliance on US weaponry, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently urged Europe to take “responsibility” for its own security, signaling a potential shift in the transatlantic security dynamic. The implications of this call, and the future of US arms exports to Europe, remain unclear.