Trump Administration Uses Wartime Emergency Again to Bypass Congress on $23 Billion Arms Sales
The Trump administration has invoked a wartime emergency under the Arms Export Control Act to bypass Congress and push through more than $23 billion in weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan, the second such move since the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran began. Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally determined that an emergency exists requiring immediate approval of the arms transfers because those partners are under attack by Iran, allowing the State Department to skip the usual House and Senate review. The new package covers 11 separate arms orders, including some deals that were under informal review by lawmakers and others for which Congress had not even received preliminary notice, according to a U.S. official. The administration previously used the same emergency authority days after launching strikes on Iran to bypass Congress on a sale of more than 20,000 bombs to Israel, and follows similar but less frequent emergency waivers used by the Biden administration during the Gaza war. House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast, a Florida Republican, praised Rubio’s move and blamed top committee Democrat Gregory Meeks for holding up some exports, underscoring a widening clash over how much war‑time latitude the White House is claiming to run foreign arms policy with minimal congressional oversight.
📌 Key Facts
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that a wartime emergency exists and approved over $23 billion in weapons sales without normal congressional review.
- The sales, spanning 11 arms orders, are destined for the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan, which U.S. officials say are under attack by Iran.
- This is the second emergency invocation in less than two weeks, after an earlier move to bypass Congress on more than 20,000 bombs for Israel.
- The State Department had not even given preliminary notice to Congress for most of the transfers announced Thursday, according to a U.S. official.
- House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast backed the emergency declaration, saying it responded to Democrat Gregory Meeks’ refusal to approve some exports.
📊 Relevant Data
Ethnic minorities constitute approximately 39% of Iran's population, including Azerbaijanis (16%), Kurds (10%), and others, which can link to internal instability and uprisings against the Persian-majority regime.
A simple visual guide to Iran and its people — Al Jazeera
Iran's religious composition is officially estimated at 90-95% Shia Muslim and 5-10% Sunni, though independent surveys from 2022-2023 indicate that only 32-37% of Iranians identify as Shia Muslim, reflecting a decline in religiosity.
2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Iran — U.S. Department of State
The Middle East accounts for the lowest share of U.S. oil imports since the 1970s, with 84.26% of U.S. oil imports coming from the Western Hemisphere in 2025, reducing dependency on Persian Gulf sources.
Mideast Accounts For Lowest Share Of U.S. Oil Imports Since 1970s — Forbes
Black households in the U.S. bear a higher energy burden, paying 13-18% more on average for energy per square foot of housing compared to White households, resulting in an additional $1.6 billion annually in energy expenditures unexplained by socio-economic factors.
Race, rates, and energy insecurity: exploring racial disparities in household energy costs — Nature
Since the National Emergencies Act of 1976, presidents have declared approximately 90 national emergencies, though the specific emergency authority under the Arms Export Control Act for bypassing congressional review on arms sales is invoked infrequently, with recent examples limited to a handful of instances for Israel.
National Emergencies: Presidential Authority and Trends in Usage — The Conference Board
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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