White House Press Release - Assistant to the President Peter Navarro: "A Win for America and Its Allies"

"When our allies and partners are better equipped to defend themselves, there is greater regional peace and stability — and far less need for American service members to be in harm's way."

A win for America and its allies

By Peter Navarro

The Washington Times

April 19, 2018

Our allies and partners want to "buy American." They know U.S. industries produce the most technologically sophisticated and effective defense systems in the world. When our allies and partners are better equipped to defend themselves, there is greater regional peace and stability — and far less need for American service members to be in harm's way.

For too long, we have made it too hard to provide our allies and partners with the defense capabilities they require and that are in America's interests. That's why the Trump administration announced Thursday two landmark policies aimed at reforming the international sale of U.S.-produced arms and the export of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

By approving a new and updated U.S. Conventional Arms Transfer (CAT) Policy Presidential Memorandum and updating the processes for the exports of UAS, President Donald J. Trump is strengthening both our economic and national security, fortifying critical bilateral defense relationships that extend U.S. influence and bolstering the capabilities of our allies and partners to advance shared security objectives.

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The Trump administration's UAS export policy will level the playing field by enabling U.S. firms to undertake direct sales to authorized allies and partners. By expanding international sales opportunities, American industry will be further incentivized to do what it does best — invest and innovate.

This will keep our defense industrial base in the vanguard of emerging defense technologies while creating thousands of additional high-wage jobs and generating substantial export revenues.

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When we enable our allies and partners to more efficiently obtain appropriate American defense articles and services, we improve our national security. Partners who procure American weaponry are more capable of fighting alongside us, and ultimately more capable of protecting themselves — with fewer American boots on the ground.

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During the rollout of his historic National Security Strategy in December, Mr. Trump stated a fundamental principle governing that strategy: Economic security is national security. At the heart of that nexus is America's defense industrial base.

These new landmark reforms will be an important catalyst for strengthening American industry; the stewardship of our national security; and the strengthening of our international partnerships. By advancing all three, the administration's new policies will promote American prosperity and help preserve peace through strength.

Read the full op-ed here.