The Trump administration bypasses Congressional approval for $165 billion arms sales to three Middle Eastern countries.

The US State Department announced on the 19th that it has approved a military sales plan worth about $16.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan, supplying these three Middle Eastern countries with radar, anti-drone systems, and other military equipment. The State Department stated in multiple statements that these sales are considered as "emergency cases" and therefore will bypass the congressional review requirement. A report from CNN pointed out that as the Trump administration bypasses Congress and accelerates the sale of arms to these Gulf allies, these countries are facing retaliatory actions from Iran against US and Israeli military operations. The State Department said that the US will sell to the UAE 10 sets of "Fixed-site Low-altitude Slow-speed Small UAV Integrated Defense Systems" and related equipment, worth about $2.1 billion; a long-range Identification Radar and related equipment for end-stage high-altitude area defense system, worth about $4.5 billion; 400 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and related equipment, worth $1.22 billion; and ammunition for F-16 fighter jets worth $644 million. At the same time, the US will sell to Kuwait around $8 billion worth of low-level air defense and missile defense radars; and to Jordan a military sale worth about $70.5 million, including aircraft maintenance and ammunition support.