The U.S. State Department has approved a potential sale worth over $1.4 billion in helicopters and F-16 fighter jet components to the United Arab Emirates. This announcement comes just before President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle Eastern country.
The proposed sale includes $1.32 billion for CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and $130 million for F-16s parts, the State Department said on Monday.
Congress has been informed about the proposed sale; however, some Democrats have expressed concerns about granting approval for such a transaction. There are reservations from certain quarters regarding this deal.
This decision coincides with Trump’s scheduled visit to the UAE as part of his tour of the Middle East. The trip includes stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and marks his initial significant international visit since commencing his second term as President.
The State Department has notified Congress of the proposed sale to the UAE. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Congress has previously attempted to block Trump from completing arms sales to Gulf nations, including in 2019 during his first term, when lawmakers placed holds on deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE over concerns about civilian casualties in the war in Yemen, as the Saudi coalition has been accused of being responsible for the majority of civilian deaths.
However, Trump has invoked a provision allowing sales to go through immediately without a review period in cases considered an emergency.
