The U.S. State Department announced it has approved the sale of more than $1.4 billion in helicopters and F-16 fighter parts to the United Arab Emirates, just before President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East country.
The State Department said on Monday that the proposed sales include $1.32 billion in CH-47 F Chinook helicopter and $130 million in F-16 parts.
The agency has notified Congress of the proposed sale, although some Democrats have previously stated that they may be reluctant to give the green light to such a sale.
That's because Trump is expected to travel to the UAE later this week for his last stop on his four-day trip to the Middle East. He also visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar on his second government's first international trip.
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The U.S. State Department announced it has approved the sale of more than $1.4 billion in helicopters and F-16 fighter parts to the United Arab Emirates. (bum-jun/newsis through ap, file, bum-jun/newsis)
The UAE has vowed to spend $1.4 trillion in U.S. investment over the next decade, which is expected to focus on semiconductors, manufacturing, energy and artificial intelligence.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the State Department supervise weapons transfer and defense trade.
The State Department first reviewed the deals other countries wanted to ensure they were in line with the U.S. government goals. If approved, the agency will notify Congress of the sale. Federal lawmakers may reject the proposed sale, but the U.S. government will negotiate if they choose not to.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said on Monday ahead of the State Department's announcement that he would "block any arms sale to a nation that is doing direct personal business with Trump," citing the UAE-backed investment firm putting $2 billion into Trump's crypto venture and the US president's administration accepting Qatar's gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumpo jet to serve as Air Force One.
US President Donald Trump speaks at the Saudi-US Investment Forum held at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center on May 13, 2025. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images)
"We should have a comprehensive Senate debate and vote. UAE's investment in Trump's cryptocurrency and Qatar's aircraft gifts are nuclear grading grafts. Unacceptable corruption in our foreign policy," Murphy wrote on X.
"Usually, weapons sales can move forward without a vote," he continued. "But any senator can object and force a full debate and a Senate vote. I will do this for any military deal with a country that pays Trump personally. It's normal foreign policy that we can't do that."
In January, D-MD Senator Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Sarah Jacobs (D-Calif).
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The State Department has notified Congress of the proposed sale to the UAE. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu agent via Getty Images)
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Congress had previously tried to stop Trump from completing arms sales to Gulf countries, including his first term in 2019, when lawmakers relate to Saudi Arabia and the UAE about concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen as Saudi coalition was charged with the majority of deaths over concerns about concerns about concerns about the Saudi Arabia.
However, Trump has proposed a rule that allows immediate sales in cases deemed an emergency without a review period.