Trump Administration Arms Transfers and Sales to Israel
This resource page is primarily a timeline of developments related to the potential or actual provision of weapons to Israel during Donald Trump's second administration (2025-2029). We recommend also reviewing the Forum's resource page regarding the Biden administration, including the civil society resources.
Experts to contact: Josh Ruebner, John Ramming Chappell, Elias Yousif, Seth Binder, William Hartung, Ari Tolany, Jeff Abramson, Hassan El-Tayyab.
Experts to contact: Josh Ruebner, John Ramming Chappell, Elias Yousif, Seth Binder, William Hartung, Ari Tolany, Jeff Abramson, Hassan El-Tayyab.
Select Timeline
2025
March 10: Senator Bernie Sanders introduces additional joint resolutions of disapproval against sales notified on February 28 by emergency declaration (and an older revised sale). (SJ Res 32, 33, 34, 35)
March 3: Representatives Jayapal (Resolutions 68,69) and Tlaib (Resolutions 70,71) filed joint resolutions of disapproval in the House, each with 13 original cosponsors (See HJ Res 68, 69, 70, 71 - see also Feb 24, below).
March 1: Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a press statement on the emergency declaration and said "the Trump Administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major FMS sales to Israel."
February 28: Declaring an emergency exists to bypass Congressional review, the State Department notified Congress of three potential arms sales to Israel via the Foreign Military Sales process: $2.04 billion for 35,529 2000-lb bombs (MK 84 or BLU-117 General Purpose (GP) bodies, or a combination of both) and four thousand (4,000) I-2000 Penetrator warheads; $675.7 million for nearly 5,000 1,000-pound bombs and guidance kits; $295 million for D9 Caterpillar bulldozers. (See also Congressional Research Service brief on Congressional review process and IMEU memo.)
February 24: Senator Bernie Sanders announces that he had filed joint resolutions of disapproval against more than $8.5 billion in potential arms sales to Israel on Feb 20. (See press release, SJ Res 20, 21, 22, 23 [and 25, 26, 27 that were introduced Feb 25, but are related to the same sales in SJRes 20-23]. Also see IMEU memo.) According to media reports, the Trump administration rescinded National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20 - see also Rep. Meeks statement on Feb 25). DAWN announced that they had filed an ICC (International Criminal Court) communication on January 19 saying the ICC should investigate former U.S. officials President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
February 17: More than 230 civil society organizations, including nearly 40 from the United States and a dozen international organizations, sent a letter to countries that produce the F-35 demanding they stop supplying arms to Israel. (See media.)
February 7: The Trump administration notified Congress of two potential arms sales to Israel via the Foreign Military Sales process: $6.75 billion for more than 20,000 bombs and guidance kits; and $660 million for 3,000 Hellfire missiles. The notification bypassed the informal process that typically allows for leaders of both parties on relevant committee to place informal holds on sales of concern. In response, Representative Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee decried the notification. (For background, see CRS report on Congressional review process. See also, IMEU's memo [updated Feb 26] calling for joint resolutions of disapproval.)
February 4: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu becomes the first foreign leader to visit President Trump. During a news conference, Trump proposes that the United States take over Gaza.
February 3: Printed in the Congressional record was notification of additional items on a previously notified 2024 FMS sale. The additions would add "one hundred eight (108) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs; and two (2) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections" and "The estimated total case value will increase by $305 million to a revised $407.5 million".
January 24: According to media reports, the Trump administration lifted the Biden administration's hold on the transfer of 2,000 pound bombs to Israel. (See also Jan. 25 Truth Social post from President Trump.) Also according to media, the State Department's implementation of the January 20 Executive Order Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid that led to freezing foreign assistance included a carve out to allow military assistance to Israel.
January 20: On his first day in office, President Trump rescinded Executive Order 14115 of February 1, 2024 (Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank).
We welcome suggestions for additions to this resource page. Send suggestions to [email protected].
2025
March 10: Senator Bernie Sanders introduces additional joint resolutions of disapproval against sales notified on February 28 by emergency declaration (and an older revised sale). (SJ Res 32, 33, 34, 35)
March 3: Representatives Jayapal (Resolutions 68,69) and Tlaib (Resolutions 70,71) filed joint resolutions of disapproval in the House, each with 13 original cosponsors (See HJ Res 68, 69, 70, 71 - see also Feb 24, below).
March 1: Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a press statement on the emergency declaration and said "the Trump Administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major FMS sales to Israel."
February 28: Declaring an emergency exists to bypass Congressional review, the State Department notified Congress of three potential arms sales to Israel via the Foreign Military Sales process: $2.04 billion for 35,529 2000-lb bombs (MK 84 or BLU-117 General Purpose (GP) bodies, or a combination of both) and four thousand (4,000) I-2000 Penetrator warheads; $675.7 million for nearly 5,000 1,000-pound bombs and guidance kits; $295 million for D9 Caterpillar bulldozers. (See also Congressional Research Service brief on Congressional review process and IMEU memo.)
February 24: Senator Bernie Sanders announces that he had filed joint resolutions of disapproval against more than $8.5 billion in potential arms sales to Israel on Feb 20. (See press release, SJ Res 20, 21, 22, 23 [and 25, 26, 27 that were introduced Feb 25, but are related to the same sales in SJRes 20-23]. Also see IMEU memo.) According to media reports, the Trump administration rescinded National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20 - see also Rep. Meeks statement on Feb 25). DAWN announced that they had filed an ICC (International Criminal Court) communication on January 19 saying the ICC should investigate former U.S. officials President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
February 17: More than 230 civil society organizations, including nearly 40 from the United States and a dozen international organizations, sent a letter to countries that produce the F-35 demanding they stop supplying arms to Israel. (See media.)
February 7: The Trump administration notified Congress of two potential arms sales to Israel via the Foreign Military Sales process: $6.75 billion for more than 20,000 bombs and guidance kits; and $660 million for 3,000 Hellfire missiles. The notification bypassed the informal process that typically allows for leaders of both parties on relevant committee to place informal holds on sales of concern. In response, Representative Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee decried the notification. (For background, see CRS report on Congressional review process. See also, IMEU's memo [updated Feb 26] calling for joint resolutions of disapproval.)
February 4: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu becomes the first foreign leader to visit President Trump. During a news conference, Trump proposes that the United States take over Gaza.
February 3: Printed in the Congressional record was notification of additional items on a previously notified 2024 FMS sale. The additions would add "one hundred eight (108) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs; and two (2) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections" and "The estimated total case value will increase by $305 million to a revised $407.5 million".
January 24: According to media reports, the Trump administration lifted the Biden administration's hold on the transfer of 2,000 pound bombs to Israel. (See also Jan. 25 Truth Social post from President Trump.) Also according to media, the State Department's implementation of the January 20 Executive Order Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid that led to freezing foreign assistance included a carve out to allow military assistance to Israel.
January 20: On his first day in office, President Trump rescinded Executive Order 14115 of February 1, 2024 (Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank).
We welcome suggestions for additions to this resource page. Send suggestions to [email protected].