U.S. rushes $8bn weapons to Middle East allies, sidesteps Congress

The administration of Donald Trump has accelerated more than $8 billion in arms sales to key Middle Eastern allies, invoking emergency powers to bypass congressional approval amid escalating regional tensions.

According to statements released by the US State Department on Friday, the weapons packages are destined for Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and include advanced air-defence systems and precision-guided munitions.

Among the deals are Patriot missile systems for Qatar and Kuwait, alongside laser-guided rockets earmarked for Qatar, the UAE and Israel, significantly enhancing their defensive and strike capabilities.

The emergency approvals were authorised by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that urgent circumstances required immediate execution of the sales, effectively sidestepping the usual congressional review process.

“An emergency exists that requires the immediate sale,” the State Department noted in its justification, marking a continuation of a pattern seen since the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran.

The decision reflects growing strategic concerns in Washington over stability in the Middle East, particularly as allied nations seek to bolster defences against evolving threats.

An April report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies revealed that US Patriot missile stockpiles have been significantly depleted following weeks of conflict linked to Iran, raising questions about supply pressures even as exports surge.

This is not the first time the administration has invoked emergency authority to expedite arms transfers.

In early March, Washington approved the immediate sale of 12,000 bombs to Israel under similar conditions, before later fast-tracking additional multibillion-dollar deals to the UAE and Kuwait, as well as aircraft and munitions support for Jordan.

The latest move underscores the intensifying militarisation of the region and Washington’s readiness to prioritise rapid security assistance to its allies, even as it draws scrutiny over the circumvention of legislative oversight.