COLUMN: Trump Turns Arms Sales into an Economic and Geopolitical War Machine

Trump Scraps Biden’s Directive on Compliance with International Law

In February 2024, Joe Biden issued a directive requiring that U.S. weapons sold abroad not be used in violation of international humanitarian law. The directive was inspired by the atrocities committed in Gaza, where U.S. bombs were used against civilians. Trump has simply revoked it. The result: no more safeguards, no more oversight, no more awkward questions. Republican senators are applauding, arms manufacturers are rubbing their hands together, and human rights organizations are crying foul. But what’s the point? When the president himself calls this repeal “excellent news,” who will dare to contradict him? From now on, it doesn’t matter how the weapons are used—as long as they’re sold. It doesn’t matter if they end up in the hands of repressive regimes or dubious militias. What matters is the revenue.

There was a time when America saw itself as the world’s policeman, the defender of democratic values, the champion of human rights. Today, it has become the leading unscrupulous arms supplier, an arms dealer that no longer asks questions. We hear talk of “realism,” “pragmatism,” and “strategic necessity.” But when we sell weapons to dictatorships, when we turn a blind eye to war crimes, when we turn suffering into a business, we’re not conducting foreign policy—we’re doing business. A lucrative business, to be sure, but one that leaves indelible marks. Traces of blood, destruction, and chaos. And one day, those traces will catch up with us. Because history, sooner or later, presents the bill.

$100 billion and a 10% markup: the cost of the war

Ukraine is the testing ground for this new doctrine. To continue arming Kyiv, Europeans must go through Washington—and agree to pay a “10% markup” on every purchase. A sum that, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, will be used to fund the “protection of Ukrainian airspace.” In plain language: Europeans are paying for a war that directly concerns them, but also for the operating costs of the U.S. military. It’s the height of absurdity. Yet no one is protesting. Or almost no one. Because for now, there’s no alternative. European factories are running at half-capacity, stockpiles are empty, and the situation is urgent. So we sign, we pay, and we hope Trump won’t raise his tariffs. But for how long?

It’s a full-blown heist. A heist carried out in broad daylight, with the blessing of European leaders, who are only too happy to pass the buck to Washington. But by relying so heavily on the United States, Europe is losing far more than money: it is losing its credibility, its sovereignty, and its ability to influence the course of events. And in the meantime, Trump can afford to play the referee, handing out good and bad grades, deciding who deserves protection and who doesn’t. We’re a long way from the original NATO, that alliance founded on solidarity and mutual trust. Today, it’s every man for himself—and God for the United States. The worst part is that Europeans, divided and weakened, no longer even have the strength to protest. They’re content to negotiate the terms of their submission.

When Arms Sales Become a Weapon of Economic Warfare

Officially, the executive order aims to “counter the influence of China and Russia.” In reality, it risks triggering an unprecedented arms race. Beijing and Moscow didn’t wait for Trump to modernize their arsenals, but this new U.S. policy will push them to pick up the pace. The result: a more dangerous world, where every country will seek to acquire the most destructive weapons, where regional tensions will escalate, and where the risk of escalation becomes a certainty. Already, the expiration of the New START treaty between Washington and Moscow in February 2026 has removed the last barrier to nuclear disarmament. Trump is calling for a “new, modernized treaty,” but in the meantime, it is the law of the jungle that prevails. And in this jungle, the United States intends to remain the king.

We hear talk of “deterrence,” “strategic superiority,” and “geopolitical necessity.” But when we look at the facts, only one logic stands out: that of an arms race. More weapons, more missiles, more bombs. As if security could be measured in metric tons of explosives, as if peace could be bought with lucrative contracts. Yet history has shown us that arms races never lead to stability. They lead to war. In Sarajevo in 1914, in Hiroshima in 1945, in Cuba in 1962. And today, we’re doing it all over again. With the same formulas, the same illusions, the same risks. Except this time, the stakes are much higher. Because in a world where nuclear weapons are proliferating, where cyberattacks are on the rise, and where conflicts are becoming global, a single spark could be enough to set the planet ablaze. And Trump and his executive orders are making that spark a little more likely every day.

When Strategic Autonomy Becomes an Unattainable Dream

For Europe, the message is clear: either you buy American, or you disappear. Franco-German projects, industrial ambitions, dreams of autonomy—all of this amounts to nothing in the face of Trump’s trade war machine. Worse still: U.S. export restrictions, pressure on supply chains, and threats of sanctions against those who dare to develop their own systems make any alternative virtually impossible. The result: the European defense industry is suffocating, jobs are disappearing, and the countries of the Old Continent find themselves bound hand and foot. Even France, which had bet on the MICA missile to escape American control, must now come to terms with market realities. A market dominated by Washington, where loyalty is paid for in euros—and in concessions.

Europe had a choice: to fight for its independence, or to resign itself to becoming an American protectorate. It chose resignation. Because it’s easier, because it’s less risky, because it avoids conflict. But at what cost? By relying on the United States, it is losing what makes it strong: its diversity, its ingenuity, its capacity for innovation. And above all, it is losing its voice. Because when you no longer have the means to defend yourself, you no longer have the means to speak out. You are left simply to listen, obey, and follow. And that is a defeat far more serious than any lost battle.

Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing: The Big Winners of the New Strategy

Behind this executive order stands an army of lobbyists. Those from the arms industry, of course, who are seeing their order books fill up at a breakneck pace. But also those in Congress, where Republican senators—such as Jim Risch, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee—are applauding wholeheartedly. For them, it’s a victory: fewer controls, more sales, record profits. It doesn’t matter if these sales fuel conflicts, prop up dictatorships, or undermine peace efforts. What matters is that the money is rolling in. And with margins like those imposed by Trump, it’s pouring in. Shareholders are delighted, the CEOs of major corporations are smiling, and defense industry workers can sleep soundly. The military-industrial complex has never looked so healthy.

There is something deeply unhealthy about seeing a handful of companies dictate a country’s foreign policy. About seeing senators, lavishly funded by industry donors, passing laws that enrich their patrons. About seeing a president, himself from the business world, turning diplomacy into a mere commercial transaction. We hear talk of “patriotism” and “defending national interests.” But whose interests are we talking about? Those of ordinary Americans, who pay their taxes and hope to live in peace? Or those of shareholders, CEOs, and lobbyists pulling the strings behind the scenes? When money becomes the only compass, when profit takes precedence over ethics, when war becomes just another market, then we have lost far more than a battle—we have lost our soul.

Protracted conflicts, civilians sacrificed, a more dangerous world

U.S. weapons are already being used in dozens of conflicts around the world—in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, and Africa. Everywhere, they leave behind ruined cities, shattered families, and traumatized generations. With the removal of safeguards, the situation can only get worse. Authoritarian regimes, armed groups, and militias of all stripes will be able to stock up without fear of reprisals. Civilians will pay the highest price, as always. And the United States, for its part, will continue to sell. Because in this equation, human lives carry little weight compared to the billions of dollars at stake.

Every weapon sold puts a life at risk. Every bomb delivered tears a family apart. Every missile fired shatters a hope. Yet we’re told that it’s for our own good, that it’s to “protect our interests,” that it’s to “ensure our security.” But what security is there in a world where violence is monetized, where peace is negotiated through contracts, where justice takes a back seat to profit? When we look at the numbers—$300 billion in annual sales, 10% profit margins, record profits—we tell ourselves that someone, somewhere, must be profiting from this. But that “someone” is never those who suffer. It’s never those who mourn their dead. It’s never those who, every day, pray for the war to end. No, those who profit are the ones who sell the weapons. The ones who sign the checks. The ones who, from their air-conditioned offices, decide the fate of others. And that is a disgrace.

NGOs, lawmakers, the public: the voices saying “no”

In the face of this downward spiral, voices are speaking out. NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are denouncing a policy they call “immoral and dangerous.” Democratic lawmakers are trying to block certain contracts. Public opinion, in Europe as well as in the United States, is beginning to express outrage. But in a system where money speaks louder than morality, where lobbyists carry more weight than citizens, and where the media too often merely relay official statements, this resistance seems insignificant. Yet it exists. And it is growing. Because when you tamper with the very foundations of peace, when you play with fire, sooner or later, the fire will burn you.

I deeply believe that nothing is ever set in stone. That even the most powerful machines can be stopped. That even the most tightly controlled systems can be broken. But to do that, we must dare. Dare to say no. Dare to resist. Dare to demand that politics not be merely a matter of profit, that security not be a commodity, that peace not be a luxury. Yes, it’s difficult. Yes, it’s risky. Yes, it takes courage. But it’s the only way to avoid the worst. Because if we do nothing, if we remain silent, if we let it happen, then we become accomplices. Accomplices in a world where war is a business, where human life has no value, where the only law is that of the strongest. And that, I cannot accept. No one should accept it.

A decision that will shape the coming decades

With this executive order, Trump isn’t just changing the rules governing arms sales. He’s redefining the United States’ role in the world. No more playing the role of arbiter, guarantor of stability, or defender of democratic values. From now on, America will be just another player—but a more powerful, richer, and more ruthless one. A player that will sell its protection to the highest bidder, that will monetize its loyalty, that will turn every alliance into a transaction. An America that, by trying to control everything, risks losing everything. Because history has shown us that empires that know only how to dominate always end up collapsing. And that nations that forget their soul always end up losing themselves.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if Europeans will wake up, if Americans will realize the extent of the damage, or if the world will find the courage to say “enough.” But one thing is certain: we are at a turning point. A turning point where we must choose between two worldviews. Trump’s, where everything is for sale, where might trumps right, where fear is a tool of government. And that of a world where peace is worth more than gold, where justice matters more than profits, where human dignity is priceless. Between these two visions, there is no room for neutrality. There is no room for indifference. There is only a choice. And that choice is ours to make. Now.

Signed, Jacques Provost