People walk under U.S. flags surrounding the Washington monument on the National Mall in Washington, near the White House in Washington.
WASHINGTON Reuters - Sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign governments fell 21% to $138 billion in the latest fiscal year, the US State Department said on Wednesday. Biden administration has shifted away from some of the more aggressive arms sales practices under President Donald Trump.
The U.S. State Department disclosed military sales figures for the 2021 fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30. The prior fiscal year, sales of U.S. military equipment had totaled $175 billion.
President Joe Biden's administration shifted from selling offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia due to civilian casualties in Yemen and intends to announce a new weapons export policy https: www.reuters. com world us exclusive biden plans-shift arms-export policy-favor human rights sources -- 2021 -- 08 -- 04, that emphasizes human rights when evaluating an arms sale.
The 2021 dip comes after high one-time sales of fighter jets and guided missiles in the final year of the Trump administration. Japan purchased 63 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin in fiscal 2020, accounting for as much as $23 billion of that year's total.