Biden Administration - Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia
This resource page details developments related to actual and potential arms sales under the Biden administration to Saudi Arabia, which in 2023-2024 was a critical topic as efforts to consider security guarantees to the country were discussed. The topic also received scrutiny in October 2022 after it was announced that OPEC would cut oil production. President Biden visited Saudi Arabia in July 2022 with an expectation that the visit would lead to greater oil flows, to help reduce the impact of the war in Ukraine. To date, more than $10 billion worth of weapons and services have been notified to Congress for potential sale to Saudi Arabia during the Biden administration.
Experts to contact*: Seth Binder, Sarah Leah Whitson, Nancy Okail, William Hartung, Jeff Abramson
This page will continue to be updated. If you have suggested information or resources to add to it, please email [email protected]. Timeline below. Jump to resources.
Timeline
2024
October
October 24: The Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sales to Saudi Arabia of $440 million for more than 1000 TOW 2A and TOW 2B missiles.
October 11: The Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sales to Saudi Arabia of: $655 million for two thousand five hundred three (2,503) AGM-114R3 Hellfire II missiles (3 for lot acceptance testing); $251.8 million for two-hundred twenty (220) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Tactical missiles; and $139 million ten thousand (10,000) M456 series, 105mm, High Explosive Anti-Tank Tracer cartridges. Also included are various types of tank, howitzer, and machine gun ammunition.
August
August 9: Media report that the administration is lifting its suspension of "offensive" weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. In a State Department press briefing August 12, Vedant Patel, said "We also always made clear that the freeze on certain classes of weapons was conditional, and it was based on Saudi Arabia’s policy towards Yemen and efforts to improve civilian harm mitigation measures. The Saudis since that time have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours..."
July
July 23: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $2.8 billion sale to Saudi Arabia of logistics and services "... in support of, but not limited to, KC-130J, C-130, E-3, RE-3, KE-3, KA 350, Bell 212, and Bell 412 aircraft."
April
April 30: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $250 million sale to Saudi Arabia of a blanket order for training of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces..
April 10: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $101.1 million sale to Saudi Arabia for information distribution systems.
January
January 4: Rep. Ilhan Omar announced the introduction of a resolution of disapproval (H.J.Res 106) to block the $582 million arms sale notified December 4 (see below).
2023
December
December 22: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $1 billion sale of training for Saudi Arabia, in part directed at the Royal Saudi Air Force and to include subjects such as civilian casualty avoidance, the laws of armed conflicts, and human rights.
December 21: Media report that the Biden administration is planning to lift its hold on "offensive" weapons transfers.
December 19: A number of national and state-based civil society groups send a letter to Congress regarding arms sales and the relationship with Saudi Arabia, in part calling for steps to block the December 4 notification..
December 4: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $582 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia to buy aircraft hardware and software modifications and support to replenish and modernize RE-3A Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft,
September
September 21: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $500 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia as Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) Program for the Royal Saudi Land Force’s (RSLF) fleet of Abrams tanks, M-60 tanks, and other weapons.
July/August
Speculation was high that the United States was seeking Saudi-Israeli normalization that may entail defense guarantees and more weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, fueled in part by high level U.S. official visits, such as that by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on July 27 (see White House readout).
June
June 6-8: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Saudi Arabia for an array of meetings, including with Saudi officials (see State Department resources), during which the State Department issues a factsheet on the U.S.-Saudi relationship that said, in part,
March
March 15: Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced S.Res.109 (status, text) to require the U.S. Department of State to examine and report on Saudi Arabia’s domestic human rights practices and its involvement in the war in Yemen pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (see media here).
2022
December
December 13: On a day when it looked like the Senate would vote on the Yemen War Powers resolition (S.J.Res 56), Sen. Sanders withdrew the resolution, saying the "Biden administration agreed to continue working with my office on ending the war in Yemen." (see statement)
November
November 14: 13 organizations from the human rights, progressive, and environmental communities sent a letter to Congressional leaders calling for support on arms trade restrictions and prioritizing climate and human rights concerns in recalibrating the U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship.
October
October 16: National security adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to indicate that President Biden would wait until after the early November mid-term elections before taking dramatic action. (see CNN)
October 15: Saudi Arabia offers $400 million in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine (see Saudi Press Agency). Days earlier, Saudi officials had stated that the oil cut decision was made purely for financial reasons. (see media and Saudi Press Agency)
October 13: In a tweet thread, Senator Murphy (D-Conn) suggested that some U.S. weapons in Saudi Arabia (Patriot missile batteries) or headed there (AMRAAMs) should be sent to Ukraine instead, or other allies supporting Ukraine. (See also Senator Blumenthal tweet on Oct. 14.)
October 11: Advisers to President Biden indicated he was examining the US-Saudi relationship. (see media)
October 10: Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the "United States must immediately freeze all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales and security cooperation beyond what is absolutely necessary to defend U.S. personnel and interests."
October 9: Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Ro Khanna said in an editorial that they will introduce legislation on October 11 "that will immediately halt all U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia." The bill calls for a one-year halt. (See update Oct 11, including text. See H.R.9181, and S.5074)
October 5: OPEC Plus, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to reduce oil production (see decision and media reporting), sparking many to call for a re-envisioning of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Democratic Representatives Tom Malinowski (NJ), Sean Casten (IL), and Susan Wild (PA) announced they would introduce a bill that would mandate the removal of U.S. troops and missile defense systems from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. See H.R. 9168 (text)
October 2: Truce in Yemen expired without renewal.
August 4: Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) introduced a resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res 58) on the August 2 proposed sale. (Update: no vote was taken on the resolution.)
August 2: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $3.05 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, including for 300 Patriot missiles.
July
July 15: In a trip to Saudi Arabia, President Biden fist-bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
July 14: Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduce S.J.Res 56, aka Yemen War Powers Resolution, the House version of which had more than 100 co-sponsors (see also June 1, below, and press release).
July 9: Prior to his trip to Saudi Arabia, President Biden authored an editorial in the Washington Post describing his reasons for the visit, saying his "...views on human rights are clear and long-standing, and fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel abroad..."
June
June 1: A bipartisan group of nearly 50 members of Congress introduced H.J.Res. 87, aka Yemen War Powers Resolution, including provisions that would end providing maintenance and spare parts to Saudi-led coalition members engaged in anti-Houthi bombings in Yemen. The resolution was led in the House of Representatives by Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), Pramila Jayapal (D- Wash.), Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif). More than 100 organizations supported the resolution. (See press release.)
April
April 2: Truce in Yemen begins. (Update: after being renewed twice, it expired October 2.)
February
February 3: the Biden administration notified Congress of new potential arms sales to Saudi Arabia ($23.7 million) that would provide parts related to missile defense systems.
2021
December
December 7: the Senate voted 30-67, deciding not to discharge S.J.Res.31 from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meaning that the Senate did not accept the resolution of disapproval on a possible $650 million foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia.
November
November 17: the Biden administration announced via a Statement of Administration Policy that it would be opposing an amendment in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, calling the amendment "unnecessary" given its cessation of "support for Saudi-led coalition offensive operations in Yemen."
November 12: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced a resolution of disapproval in the House (H.J.Res.63). On November 18, Senators Paul (R-Kentucky), Lee (R-Utah) and Sanders (I-Vermont) introduced the resolution of disapproval in the Senate (S.J.Res 31). [Note: the Senate resolution cites November 15 as the date of Congressional notification, based on the date of publication in the Congressional Record -- impacting the date of the start of the 30-day review clock]. On November 29, more than 40 organizations sent Congress a letter supporting the resolutions.
November 10: a number of Democratic members of the House issued a statement on the sale, calling for a halt to logistical support and spare parts to Saudi Arabia.
November 4; the State Department notified Congress of a possible $650 million foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia for two hundred eighty (280) AIM-120C-7/C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and five hundred ninety-six (596) LAU-128 Missile Rail Launchers (MRL) - rationale offered in this tweet thread about the defensive nature of the weapons.
September
September 16: the State Department notified Congress that it had approved a possible $500 million deal to provide maintenance support services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contract would facilitate maintenance for AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, Schweizer 333 helicopters, and Bell 406CS helicopters belonging to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command (RSLFAC). The deal would also facilitate maintenance for a future fleet of Saudi CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters.
May
May 19: Senator Warren and 15 other Senators sent a letter to President Biden, with the request that he "leverage all influence and tools available, including the potential impact on pending weapons sales, U.S.-Saudi military cooperation, and U.S.-Saudi ties more broadly, to demand that Saudi Arabia immediately and unconditionally stop the use of blockade tactics" in relation to Yemen (emphasis added -- not in original letter)
April
April 29: Democratic Senators Bob Menendez, Tim Kaine, Patrick Leahy, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, Patty Murray, and Brian Schatz in introduced the Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports Act of 2021, which if passed could impact future sales and Congressional oversight of them.
April 21: At a hearing, Senator Murphy expressed concerns about UAE and other sales, the same day the House of Representatives passed the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act by a vote of 350-71 (first re-introduced on Feb. 26), which could put limits on sales to Saudi Arabia.
February
February 26: After the release of a report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, members of the House introduced legislation to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. On March 2, 42 organizations included a similar recommendation in a broad reaching response.
February 25: 41 members of the House, endorsed by many civil society organizations, issued a letter to President Biden asking for clarity on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, expressing their "strong support for your decision to end U.S. participation in offensive operations in the Saudi/UAE-led war in Yemen, as well as related weapons sales..."
February 11: More than 75 organizations and experts issued a letter detailing $36.5 billion in arms sales and services to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that they believe should be consider relevant to "offensive operations" and permanently stopped. (See related Foreign Policy exclusive.)
February 4: President Biden announced the end of "all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." (More information is still needed to clarify what this means for some specific sales, including to the United Arab Emirates, but includes precision guided munitions to Saudi Arabia according to Jake Sullivan during a press conference earlier in the day.)
January
January 27: Secretary of State Blinken indicated that the State Department was reviewing arms sales, responding to a press question by saying that "Generally speaking when it comes to arms sales, it is typical at the start of an administration to review any – any pending sales, to make sure that what is being considered is something that advances our strategic objectives and advances our foreign policy. So that’s – that’s what we’re doing at this moment.."
This was separately and widely reported as including review of recent controversial arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE:
Experts to contact*: Seth Binder, Sarah Leah Whitson, Nancy Okail, William Hartung, Jeff Abramson
This page will continue to be updated. If you have suggested information or resources to add to it, please email [email protected]. Timeline below. Jump to resources.
Timeline
2024
October
October 24: The Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sales to Saudi Arabia of $440 million for more than 1000 TOW 2A and TOW 2B missiles.
October 11: The Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sales to Saudi Arabia of: $655 million for two thousand five hundred three (2,503) AGM-114R3 Hellfire II missiles (3 for lot acceptance testing); $251.8 million for two-hundred twenty (220) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Tactical missiles; and $139 million ten thousand (10,000) M456 series, 105mm, High Explosive Anti-Tank Tracer cartridges. Also included are various types of tank, howitzer, and machine gun ammunition.
August
August 9: Media report that the administration is lifting its suspension of "offensive" weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. In a State Department press briefing August 12, Vedant Patel, said "We also always made clear that the freeze on certain classes of weapons was conditional, and it was based on Saudi Arabia’s policy towards Yemen and efforts to improve civilian harm mitigation measures. The Saudis since that time have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours..."
July
July 23: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $2.8 billion sale to Saudi Arabia of logistics and services "... in support of, but not limited to, KC-130J, C-130, E-3, RE-3, KE-3, KA 350, Bell 212, and Bell 412 aircraft."
April
April 30: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $250 million sale to Saudi Arabia of a blanket order for training of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces..
April 10: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $101.1 million sale to Saudi Arabia for information distribution systems.
January
January 4: Rep. Ilhan Omar announced the introduction of a resolution of disapproval (H.J.Res 106) to block the $582 million arms sale notified December 4 (see below).
2023
December
December 22: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $1 billion sale of training for Saudi Arabia, in part directed at the Royal Saudi Air Force and to include subjects such as civilian casualty avoidance, the laws of armed conflicts, and human rights.
December 21: Media report that the Biden administration is planning to lift its hold on "offensive" weapons transfers.
December 19: A number of national and state-based civil society groups send a letter to Congress regarding arms sales and the relationship with Saudi Arabia, in part calling for steps to block the December 4 notification..
December 4: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $582 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia to buy aircraft hardware and software modifications and support to replenish and modernize RE-3A Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft,
September
September 21: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $500 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia as Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) Program for the Royal Saudi Land Force’s (RSLF) fleet of Abrams tanks, M-60 tanks, and other weapons.
July/August
Speculation was high that the United States was seeking Saudi-Israeli normalization that may entail defense guarantees and more weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, fueled in part by high level U.S. official visits, such as that by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on July 27 (see White House readout).
June
June 6-8: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Saudi Arabia for an array of meetings, including with Saudi officials (see State Department resources), during which the State Department issues a factsheet on the U.S.-Saudi relationship that said, in part,
- Working with Saudi Arabia to ensure regional stability remains a pillar of our bilateral relationship. The United States is the top defense supplier for Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi defense establishment remains the single largest U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer, with cases valued at more than $140 billion. This partnership is predicated on our shared interest in security in the Gulf and deterring any foreign or regional power from threatening the region.
- The United States is committed to advancing our security partnership with Saudi Arabia through defense sales that will support a more integrated and regionally networked air and missile defense architecture, participating in joint military exercises, and countering the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems and missiles to non-state actors that threaten the peace and security of the region.
March
March 15: Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced S.Res.109 (status, text) to require the U.S. Department of State to examine and report on Saudi Arabia’s domestic human rights practices and its involvement in the war in Yemen pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (see media here).
2022
December
December 13: On a day when it looked like the Senate would vote on the Yemen War Powers resolition (S.J.Res 56), Sen. Sanders withdrew the resolution, saying the "Biden administration agreed to continue working with my office on ending the war in Yemen." (see statement)
November
November 14: 13 organizations from the human rights, progressive, and environmental communities sent a letter to Congressional leaders calling for support on arms trade restrictions and prioritizing climate and human rights concerns in recalibrating the U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship.
October
October 16: National security adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to indicate that President Biden would wait until after the early November mid-term elections before taking dramatic action. (see CNN)
October 15: Saudi Arabia offers $400 million in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine (see Saudi Press Agency). Days earlier, Saudi officials had stated that the oil cut decision was made purely for financial reasons. (see media and Saudi Press Agency)
October 13: In a tweet thread, Senator Murphy (D-Conn) suggested that some U.S. weapons in Saudi Arabia (Patriot missile batteries) or headed there (AMRAAMs) should be sent to Ukraine instead, or other allies supporting Ukraine. (See also Senator Blumenthal tweet on Oct. 14.)
October 11: Advisers to President Biden indicated he was examining the US-Saudi relationship. (see media)
October 10: Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the "United States must immediately freeze all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales and security cooperation beyond what is absolutely necessary to defend U.S. personnel and interests."
October 9: Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Ro Khanna said in an editorial that they will introduce legislation on October 11 "that will immediately halt all U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia." The bill calls for a one-year halt. (See update Oct 11, including text. See H.R.9181, and S.5074)
October 5: OPEC Plus, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to reduce oil production (see decision and media reporting), sparking many to call for a re-envisioning of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Democratic Representatives Tom Malinowski (NJ), Sean Casten (IL), and Susan Wild (PA) announced they would introduce a bill that would mandate the removal of U.S. troops and missile defense systems from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. See H.R. 9168 (text)
October 2: Truce in Yemen expired without renewal.
August 4: Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) introduced a resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res 58) on the August 2 proposed sale. (Update: no vote was taken on the resolution.)
August 2: The Biden administration notified Congress of a potential $3.05 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, including for 300 Patriot missiles.
July
July 15: In a trip to Saudi Arabia, President Biden fist-bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
July 14: Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduce S.J.Res 56, aka Yemen War Powers Resolution, the House version of which had more than 100 co-sponsors (see also June 1, below, and press release).
July 9: Prior to his trip to Saudi Arabia, President Biden authored an editorial in the Washington Post describing his reasons for the visit, saying his "...views on human rights are clear and long-standing, and fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel abroad..."
June
June 1: A bipartisan group of nearly 50 members of Congress introduced H.J.Res. 87, aka Yemen War Powers Resolution, including provisions that would end providing maintenance and spare parts to Saudi-led coalition members engaged in anti-Houthi bombings in Yemen. The resolution was led in the House of Representatives by Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), Pramila Jayapal (D- Wash.), Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif). More than 100 organizations supported the resolution. (See press release.)
April
April 2: Truce in Yemen begins. (Update: after being renewed twice, it expired October 2.)
February
February 3: the Biden administration notified Congress of new potential arms sales to Saudi Arabia ($23.7 million) that would provide parts related to missile defense systems.
2021
December
December 7: the Senate voted 30-67, deciding not to discharge S.J.Res.31 from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meaning that the Senate did not accept the resolution of disapproval on a possible $650 million foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia.
November
November 17: the Biden administration announced via a Statement of Administration Policy that it would be opposing an amendment in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, calling the amendment "unnecessary" given its cessation of "support for Saudi-led coalition offensive operations in Yemen."
November 12: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced a resolution of disapproval in the House (H.J.Res.63). On November 18, Senators Paul (R-Kentucky), Lee (R-Utah) and Sanders (I-Vermont) introduced the resolution of disapproval in the Senate (S.J.Res 31). [Note: the Senate resolution cites November 15 as the date of Congressional notification, based on the date of publication in the Congressional Record -- impacting the date of the start of the 30-day review clock]. On November 29, more than 40 organizations sent Congress a letter supporting the resolutions.
November 10: a number of Democratic members of the House issued a statement on the sale, calling for a halt to logistical support and spare parts to Saudi Arabia.
November 4; the State Department notified Congress of a possible $650 million foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia for two hundred eighty (280) AIM-120C-7/C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and five hundred ninety-six (596) LAU-128 Missile Rail Launchers (MRL) - rationale offered in this tweet thread about the defensive nature of the weapons.
September
September 16: the State Department notified Congress that it had approved a possible $500 million deal to provide maintenance support services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contract would facilitate maintenance for AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, Schweizer 333 helicopters, and Bell 406CS helicopters belonging to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command (RSLFAC). The deal would also facilitate maintenance for a future fleet of Saudi CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters.
May
May 19: Senator Warren and 15 other Senators sent a letter to President Biden, with the request that he "leverage all influence and tools available, including the potential impact on pending weapons sales, U.S.-Saudi military cooperation, and U.S.-Saudi ties more broadly, to demand that Saudi Arabia immediately and unconditionally stop the use of blockade tactics" in relation to Yemen (emphasis added -- not in original letter)
April
April 29: Democratic Senators Bob Menendez, Tim Kaine, Patrick Leahy, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, Patty Murray, and Brian Schatz in introduced the Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports Act of 2021, which if passed could impact future sales and Congressional oversight of them.
April 21: At a hearing, Senator Murphy expressed concerns about UAE and other sales, the same day the House of Representatives passed the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act by a vote of 350-71 (first re-introduced on Feb. 26), which could put limits on sales to Saudi Arabia.
February
February 26: After the release of a report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, members of the House introduced legislation to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. On March 2, 42 organizations included a similar recommendation in a broad reaching response.
February 25: 41 members of the House, endorsed by many civil society organizations, issued a letter to President Biden asking for clarity on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, expressing their "strong support for your decision to end U.S. participation in offensive operations in the Saudi/UAE-led war in Yemen, as well as related weapons sales..."
February 11: More than 75 organizations and experts issued a letter detailing $36.5 billion in arms sales and services to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that they believe should be consider relevant to "offensive operations" and permanently stopped. (See related Foreign Policy exclusive.)
February 4: President Biden announced the end of "all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." (More information is still needed to clarify what this means for some specific sales, including to the United Arab Emirates, but includes precision guided munitions to Saudi Arabia according to Jake Sullivan during a press conference earlier in the day.)
January
January 27: Secretary of State Blinken indicated that the State Department was reviewing arms sales, responding to a press question by saying that "Generally speaking when it comes to arms sales, it is typical at the start of an administration to review any – any pending sales, to make sure that what is being considered is something that advances our strategic objectives and advances our foreign policy. So that’s – that’s what we’re doing at this moment.."
This was separately and widely reported as including review of recent controversial arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE:
- Saudi Arabia (see resource page) - 3,000 small diameter bombs (GBU-39) for $290 million notified December 29, 2020; and 7,500 precision-guided, air-to-ground munitions valued at $478 million notified a week earlier.
- United Arab Emirates (see resource page) - $23+ billion notified in November 2020 for up to 50 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, valued at $10.4 billion; up to 18 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Systems, valued at $2.97 billion; a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, valued at $10 billion; and a revised earlier sale of to add hundreds of Sidewinder missiles.
Select Resources
Government (Biden administration)
Congress
Civil Society
Government (Biden administration)
- Foreign Military Sales notifications - $10.8516 billion
- October 24: $440 million for 1000+ TOW 2A and TOW 2b missiles
- October 11, 2024: $1.0458 billion total. $655 million for 2500+ Hellfire II missiles; $251.8 million for 220 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles; and $139 million for ammunition for artillery systems, machine guns, and tanks.
- July 23, 2024: $2.8 billion logistics and support for "... but not limited to, KC-130J, C-130, E-3, RE-3, KE-3, KA 350, Bell 212, and Bell 412 aircraft."
- April 30, 2024: $250 million for blanket order training of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces..
- April 10, 2024: $101.1 million sale to Saudi Arabia for information distribution systems.
- December 22, 2023: $1 billion for blanket order training in part directed at the Royal Saudi Air Force and to include subjects such as civilian casualty avoidance, the laws of armed conflicts, and human rights.
- December 4, 2023: $582 million buy aircraft hardware and software modifications and support to replenish and modernize its RE-3A Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft
- September 21, 2023: $500 million as Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) Program for the Royal Saudi land forces, including Abrams tanks, MRAPS and other weapons
- August 2, 2022 - $3.050 billion PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical Ballistic Missiles (GEM-T)
- February 3, 2022 - $23.7 million Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT)
- November 4, 2021 - $650 million AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
- September 16, 2021 - $500 million Continuation of Maintenance Support Services (MSS) - helicopter related
- "United States-Saudi Arabia Relationship: Eight Decades of Partnership," Factsheet, State Department, June 6, 2023.
- Joe Biden opinion, "Why I’m going to Saudi Arabia", Washington Post, July 9, 2022.
- Statement of Administration Policy on S.J.Res. 31, December 7, 2021.
- Statement of Administration Policy on the NDAA, November 17, 2021
- "Remarks by President Biden on America’s Place in the World," February 4, 2021
- "Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Press Availability" remarks to the press January 27, 2021
Congress
- Richard Blumenthal and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, "The Saudis Need a Reality Check: Washington Should Pause Arms Sales to Rein in Riyadh," Foreign Affairs, October 24, 2022.
- Bob Menendez, Statement on Future of United States-Saudi Relationship, October 10, 2022.
- Richard Blumenthal (Senator), Ro Khanna (Representative), Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, "Opinion | The Best Way to Respond to Saudi Arabia’s Embrace of Putin," Politico, October 9, 2022.
- Various statements during debate on S.J.Res 31 (resolution of disapproval on $650 million Saudi arms sale): Sanders (1, 2), Menendez, + Congressional Progressive Caucus (House)
- Rand Paul, "America Must Stop Enabling The Saudi War In Yemen," The American Conservative, December 7, 2021.
- Press release (Rand Paul) on Senate resolution of disapproval, November 18, 2021
- Press release (Ilhan Omar) on House resolution of disapproval, November 12, 2021
- Representatives Malinowski, McGovern, Schiff, Jacobs, Allred, Castro and Kim respond, November 10, 2021.
- Remarks by Senator Chris Murphy at hearing on Yemen, April 21, 2021.
- Letter from 41 members of Congress urging transparency from Biden administration regarding involvement in Yemen as US ends support for "offensive engagement," February 25, 2021.
- Chris Murphy, "America’s Middle East Policy Is Outdated and Dangerous," Foreign Affairs, February 19, 2021.
- "On The Senate Floor, Murphy: The Biden Administration Is Off To A Good Start By Ending U.S. Military Support For Yemen War, Suspending Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia And The United Arab Emirates," Senator Chris Murphy, January 28, 2021. See also related tweets on February 3 (here and here).
- Letter to Secretary of State Blinken that includes call for suspension of some weapons sales from Representatives Tom Malinowski, Gregory Meeks, Adam Smith, and James McGovern, January 26, 2021.
- On January 15, 2021, House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Gregory Meeks (D-NY) announced the introduction of joint resolutions of disapproval for the December 23 and 29 sales to Saudi Arabia (see HJ Res 15 [small diameter bombs] and 16 [PGMs])
- "Ro Khanna, Congressional Progressive Caucus Statement Denouncing Harmful, Counterproductive Designation Of Houthis As A Terrorist Organization" statement, which includes call to end military support to Saudi-led coalition, January 15, 2021.
Civil Society
- Sarah Leah Whitson, "How Saudi Arabia went from pariah to patron," Responsible Statecraft, August 16, 2024.
- Josh Paul, "Reflections on the End of a Pause, as the U.S. Lifts Ban on Air-to-Ground Munitions to Saudi Arabia," DAWN, August 13, 2024.
- National and state-based civil society groups letter regarding arms sales and relationship with Saudi Arabia, December 19, 2023.
- Opinion polling
- "Rethinking American Strength: What Divides (and Unites) Voting-Age Americans," see findings on disapproval of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Eurasia Group Foundation, October 5, 2022.
- "A Strong Majority of Voters Oppose the U.S. Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia," Data for Progress, December 7, 2021.
- William Hartung and Annelle Sheline, "If the Biden administration won’t hold Mohammed Bin Salman accountable, Congress should," The Hill, November 21, 2022 and “An end to US military support for Saudi Arabia is long overdue," The Hill, October 12, 2022; William Hartung, "Arming Repression: U.S. Military Support for Saudi Arabia from Trump to Biden," Center for International Policy, December 2, 2021; "The Biden Administration’s Missile Sale to Saudi Arabia Is Offensive, and Must Be Stopped," Forbes, November 28, 2021; and "Congress Should Cut Off U.S. Military Support for Saudi Arabia," Forbes, November 8, 2021.
- Elias Yousif, "US Security Cooperation with Gulf OPEC States Amidst Energy Cuts," Stimson Center, October 17, 2022.
- Sarah Leah Whitson, "Congress Must Halt Biden’s Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia," Foreign Policy, December 6, 2021.
- Organizational statements
- Joint Letter to Congress on Saudi Arms Sale, 40+ organizations, November 29, 2021. Individual organizations statements after the December 7 vote include this by Win Without War.
- "Letter to President Biden on US Policy Toward the Middle East," Human Rights Watch, November 3, 2021.
- Letter from more than 75 organizations and experts, February 11, 2021.
- "Arms Sale Freeze is a Major Victory. Now Make it Permanent," Win Without War, January 27, 2021
- New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs, statements, February 4 and January 27, 2021.
- William Ostermeyer and Jeff Abramson, "U.S. Continues Controversial Arms Assistance," Arms Control Today, November 2, 2021.
- Lauren Woods, "U.S. Foreign Military Training to Saudi Arabia," Security Assistance Monitor, July 2021.
- Elias Yousif, "Factsheet: Enduring U.S. Support for Saudi-Led Operations in Yemen," Security Assistance Monitor, June 2021.
- "Biden slams the brakes on UAE, Saudi weapons gravy train — for now." Responsible Statecraft, January 27, 2021.
- Annie Shiel, Seth Binder, Jeff Abramson, William Hartung, Rachel Stohl, Diana Ohlbaum, Adam Isacson, Brittany Benowitz and Dan Mahanty, "Toward A More Responsible US Arms Trade Policy: Recommendations for the Biden-Harris Administration," Just Security, January 19, 2021
- Shayna Lewis, "Defense contractors like Raytheon aren't blameless in Yemen crisis," AZ Central, February 3, 2021.
- Ethan B Kapstein and Jonathan D. Caverley, "Biden Must Base Arms Sales on U.S. Interests—Not U.S. Jobs," Foreign Policy, February 25, 2021.
* Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list, or listing here of other experts, does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others.