Trump scraps Biden directive linking US arms to rights abuse
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Trump's decision comes in a bolstering move of US military support for "Israel", following the restrictions the Biden administration put on weapon shipments to the occupation.
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President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (AP)
The administration of US President Donald Trump has overturned on Tuesday a Biden-era rule designed to prevent US-made weapons from being used in violation of international humanitarian law, following the reported approval of a $7.4 billion arms sale to "Israel".
The White House hasn't confirmed the news, however, two US officials and a source close to Trump's administration confirmed that the White House Security Advisor Michael Waltz revoked the National Security Memorandum-20, with all mentions of the memo taken down from the White House website and a "404 error" appearing in searches instead.
Citing current and former officials, The Washington Post was the first to report the decision to scrap National Security Memorandum-20.
The memorandum, signed by former President Joe Biden in February 2024, was introduced to ensure US-made weapons would not be used in violation of international law amid concerns over "Israel’s" actions during its devastating military campaign in Gaza.
The White House told Congress in February that it had approved the sale of $6.75 billion in bombs, guidance kits, and fuses, as well as 660 million dollars in hellfire missiles.
Furthermore, in order to bolster "Israel’s" arsenal, Trump repealed the law that prohibited the sale of 2000-pound bombs to the occupation.
'Israel' receives new shipment of MK-84 bombs
"Israel" received a shipment of the 2000-lb MK-84 bombs from the United States on February 16, according to the Israeli Security Ministry, following the removal of an export ban by US President Donald Trump.
The Biden administration had initially withheld approval for the shipment, citing concerns about its potential impact on Gaza's densely populated areas. However, despite the US supplying thousands of similar bombs to "Israel" following the events of October 7, 2023, one shipment was delayed—until Trump cleared it for export last month.
Security Minister Israel Katz expressed his approval of the delivery, emphasizing its importance for the military stating, "The munitions shipment that arrived in Israel tonight, released by the Trump Administration, represents a significant asset for the Air Force and the IDF and serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States."
Trump's administration also requested congressional approval for a new arms package to "Israel" valued at approximately $1 billion. According to US officials familiar with the matter, the proposed deal includes 4,700 1,000-pound bombs and armored D-9 bulldozers manufactured by Caterpillar.
Trump also reportedly approved the sale of the 11-ton GBU-43 bomb, known as the "Mother of All Bombs," in a move unprecedented among past US presidents. Previous administrations, from Obama to Biden, had been reluctant to authorize such a sale. Analysts view this decision as a potential indication of plans for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
