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Trump Administration Plans to Bypass Arms Control Pact to Sell Large Armed Drones Trump Administration Is Bypassing Arms Control Pact to Sell Large Armed Drones
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to announce on Friday that it will allow the sale of armed drones to other nations and bypass part of an international weapons export control agreement that the United States helped forge more than three decades ago, congressional aides said. WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Friday that it would allow the sale of advanced armed drones to other nations and bypass part of an international weapons export control agreement that the United States helped forge more than three decades ago.
Administration officials have been debating for years over how to sell armed drones despite clauses in the agreement, known as the Missile Technology Control Regime, that prevent its 35 members from doing so. The administration announced in 2018 that it was expanding drone sales, but has not been able to do so because of the limits set by the deal. Administration officials have debated for years how to sell the armed drones despite clauses in the agreement, known as the Missile Technology Control Regime, that prevent its 35 members from doing so. The administration announced in 2018 that it was expanding drone sales, but has not been able to do so because of the limits set by the deal.
The agreement is not legally binding and is treated as an understanding among its member nations.The agreement is not legally binding and is treated as an understanding among its member nations.
But bypassing one part of the pact could undermine the agreement in general and encourage other nations to selectively ignore or reinterpret clauses that they find inconvenient. The Trump administration has shown disdain for the concept of international agreements and has withdrawn from several major ones that previous administrations had negotiated with world powers, including the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal. But circumventing one part of the pact could undermine the agreement in general and encourage other nations to selectively ignore or reinterpret clauses that they find inconvenient. The United States has relied on the agreement to help constrain global exports of missile technology to nations it views as security threats because of their nuclear programs, notably North Korea and Iran.
The Trump administration, though, has shown disdain for the concept of international agreements and has withdrawn from several major ones that previous administrations had negotiated with world powers, including the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal.
R. Clarke Cooper, the assistant secretary for political-military affairs in the State Department, said Friday afternoon that the United States was invoking its “national discretion” to bypass the limits in the arms control agreement on sales of large drones. He said the policy had been approved by President Trump and was effective immediately.
He added that the United States would look at each proposed sale on a case-by-case basis and “continue conducting robust review procedures.”
“It’s incumbent on the United States that we ensure the systems we sell are used responsibly," he said.
The White House said in a statement that Mr. Trump had taken the action because after more than two years of negotiations, member nations of the agreement had failed to agree to changes that would allow the drone sales. The action would improve “the capabilities of our partners and increase our economic security,” said Kayleigh McEnany, the press secretary.
Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pointed out in a statement that it was the United States that had urged other nations years ago to adopt the limits on exports of advanced drones.
“This reckless decision once again makes it more likely that we will export some of our most deadly weaponry to human rights abusers across the world,” he said. “This is yet another reckless move by an administration fixated with eliminating the international cooperation that has made the United States and other countries safer for decades.”
Some American officials have been frustrated by the export ban on large drones, including Peter Navarro, a White House trade adviser who advocates greater arms sales, as well as aides on the National Security Council and Pentagon officials who help oversee arms exports.Some American officials have been frustrated by the export ban on large drones, including Peter Navarro, a White House trade adviser who advocates greater arms sales, as well as aides on the National Security Council and Pentagon officials who help oversee arms exports.
They argue that American companies must be able to sell the large drones to compete with China, which is not a member of the arms control agreement. A Chinese company, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, has developed a drone, the Wing Loong II, that has the same abilities as the MQ-9 Reaper, made by General Atomics, based in San Diego. They argue that American companies must be able to sell those drones to compete with China, which is not a member of the agreement. A Chinese company, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, has developed a drone, the Wing Loong II, that has the same abilities as the MQ-9 Reaper, made by General Atomics, based in San Diego.
This year, General Atomics stepped up its lobbying efforts with the administration and Congress to persuade the government to allow sales of the Reaper, whose export is banned by the international agreement, a congressional aide said. This year, General Atomics stepped up its lobbying efforts to persuade the government to allow sales of the Reaper, whose export is effectively banned by the requirement of a “strong presumption of denial” in the pact, a congressional aide said.
The State Department did not return an email seeking comment. Some lawmakers have been concerned about the yearslong effort among administration officials to bypass the restrictions. Several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are eager to buy drones capable of carrying large payloads. Both those countries have waged a devastating air war in Yemen that has led to thousands of civilian deaths.
Some lawmakers have been concerned about the yearslong effort among administration officials to bypass the ban. Several Middle Eastern nations are eager to buy drones capable of carrying large payloads, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which started a devastating air war in Yemen that has led to thousands of civilian deaths. Lawmakers from both parties have tried to block the Trump administration and some American companies — Raytheon in particular — from selling arms to those two nations. Their militaries have used American bombs in the Yemen war, leading to widespread criticism of the United States by human rights groups. In May 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bypassed a congressional freeze on sales of $8.1 billion of arms to the two countries with an emergency declaration that whose legality is in question.
Lawmakers from both parties have tried to block the Trump administration and some American companies — Raytheon in particular — from selling arms to those two nations. Their militaries have used American bombs in the Yemen war, leading to widespread criticism of the United States by human rights groups. In May 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bypassed a congressional freeze on sales of $8.1 billion of arms to the two countries with an emergency declaration that might have been illegal. Lawmakers have imposed a freeze on a package of Predator drones to the United Arab Emirates, though those machines are not the Reaper model whose export is restricted by the arms agreement.
Lawmakers have imposed a freeze on a package of Predator drones to the United Arab Emirates, though those machines are not the Reaper model whose export is banned by the arms agreement.
Arms exports, particularly to Gulf Arab nations, have led to some of the biggest clashes between the Trump administration and Congress. Administration officials have been discussing whether to end a decades-old process for congressional review of proposed sales.Arms exports, particularly to Gulf Arab nations, have led to some of the biggest clashes between the Trump administration and Congress. Administration officials have been discussing whether to end a decades-old process for congressional review of proposed sales.
Officials in the State Department and Pentagon who work on nonproliferation issues have pushed back internally on efforts by other officials to bypass the ban in the international agreement, which covers drones capable of carrying at least 500 kilograms, or over 1,100 pounds, of weapons over 300 kilometers, about 186 miles. Those officials and some lawmakers argue that other countries or companies can copy the technology once they are in possession of the drones and start making their own. Officials in the State Department and Pentagon who work on nonproliferation issues have pushed back internally on efforts by other officials to bypass the ban in the agreement, which covers drones capable of carrying at least 500 kilograms, or over 1,100 pounds, of weapons over 300 kilometers, about 186 miles. Those officials and some lawmakers argue that other countries or companies can copy the technology once they are in possession of the drones and start making their own.
The United States has already quietly bypassed the arms agreement to give licenses to American companies to sell banned drones in at least four instances, mainly to NATO ally nations, a congressional aide said. During a conference call with reporters on Friday, Mr. Cooper did not answer a question about the risks of proliferation of this drone technology after the administration’s decision. He instead said the United States would continue to abide by restrictions on other types of arms in the Missile Technology Control Regime.
Besides countries in the Middle East, ones in East Asia and Central and Eastern Europe are likely to ask to buy the drones. Reuters reported last month that the United States was considering bypassing the arms agreement to sell larger drones. The United States has already sidestepped the limits in the arms agreement to give licenses to American companies to sell advanced drones in at least four instances, mainly to NATO ally nations, a congressional aide said. A State Department official said the agreement’s “strong presumption of denial” phrase does not constitute a blanket export ban.
Besides countries in the Middle East, ones in East Asia and Central and Eastern Europe are likely to ask to buy the drones. Reuters reported last month that the United States was considering bypassing the agreement to sell larger drones.
The Missile Technology Control Regime was established in 1987 by the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Britain to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The pact, which now includes 35 member nations, restricts the exports of missiles and their components. It has been credited with slowing down missile development programs in countries like Egypt and Iraq.The Missile Technology Control Regime was established in 1987 by the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Britain to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The pact, which now includes 35 member nations, restricts the exports of missiles and their components. It has been credited with slowing down missile development programs in countries like Egypt and Iraq.
Michael LaForgia and Pranshu Verma contributed reporting. After the administration’s announcement on Friday, Christopher Ford, assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, said during a discussion at the Hudson Institute, a research group in Washington, that diplomacy ideally would have produced a change to the agreement’s limits on the drones, but the talks failed.
“It is true that the best way to proceed would have been to clarify these issues across the entire M.T.C.R. regime,” he said. “But as I indicated, at least one M.T.C.R. participant seems to have prioritized reflexive opposition to anything the United States proposes over sensible reform.”
Mr. Ford did not name the nation that blocked the Trump administration’s proposals.
Michael LaForgia contributed reporting from Spokane, Wash., and Pranshu Verma from Washington, D.C.