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Arms Trade Treaty 2024
The Arms Trade Treaty is the first global accord to regulate nearly all conventional weapons, establishing the highest international standards to prevent and eradicate their illicit trade and diversion, and requiring states to consider multiple criteria in making arms transfer decisions. It entered into force on December 24, 2014, and today has 113 states parties, including China and major arms producers in Europe. The United States signed the treaty on September 25, 2013, but has not ratified it. On April 26, 2019, then-U.S. President Donald Trump made the controversial decision to "un-sign' the treaty, withdrawing it from Senate consideration, based on arguments that it infringed upon the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Under President Joe Biden, the United States has returned a representative to ATT annual conferences but has not rescinded the previous administration’s decision and “is now reviewing the ATT to determine what the policy of the United States should be with respect to” the ATT (see CRS report).
Here we track whether candidates support the United States being a part of the Arms Trade Treaty, either by honoring its signature to it or through pursuing ratification.
Experts to contact*: Rachel Stohl, Jeff Abramson
* These experts are available to discuss this issue and may have additional/alternate assessments. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others, or the endorsement of any candidate for political office.
Methodology note: Thus far, we have not identified much discussion of the Arms Trade Treaty itself during this cycle. Those who generally speak in favor of gun rights and the Second Amendment have traditionally expressed opposition to the treaty when it is raised. Related statements, when identified, are included on individual candidate pages and summarized below.
Here we track whether candidates support the United States being a part of the Arms Trade Treaty, either by honoring its signature to it or through pursuing ratification.
Experts to contact*: Rachel Stohl, Jeff Abramson
* These experts are available to discuss this issue and may have additional/alternate assessments. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others, or the endorsement of any candidate for political office.
Methodology note: Thus far, we have not identified much discussion of the Arms Trade Treaty itself during this cycle. Those who generally speak in favor of gun rights and the Second Amendment have traditionally expressed opposition to the treaty when it is raised. Related statements, when identified, are included on individual candidate pages and summarized below.
Click on each candidate's name for more information.