The Trump administration's move to use international arms sales to boost domestic production capacity for weapons and defensive technologies could be lucrative for both traditional and nontraditional defense companies, so long as they make it onto a new sales catalog.
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Moving forward, the administration might also face challenges in implementing the changes laid out in the order, Kenneth J. Nunnenkamp, an international trade partner with Blank Rome LLP, said, explaining that some of Trump's aims will require Congressional action, which could take time to attain.
The order will also likely necessitate changes to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which would be carried out by the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Nunnenkamp said.
"The political will is now there in writing from the president to better streamline certain aspects of the ITAR, most notably, probably some of the [foreign military sales] aspects, but it will apply to direct commercial sales also. So, that'll probably be very welcome for industry, to see that certain FMS and direct commercial sales of military and ITAR controlled items will now be the focus of this streamlining effort," Nunnenkamp said.
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"Sales Catalog Key for Trump’s New Arms Sale Strategy," by Madeline Lyskawa was published in Law360 on February 13, 2026.