Project

Arms Trade Transparency

Highlighting the crucial role and inherent challenges of transparency in U.S. arms transfers and military assistance programs

About the Project

As the world’s largest arms exporter, the United States has a special responsibility to ensure its security cooperation, military assistance, and arms transfers adhere to the highest standards of oversight and accountability. The Arms Trade Transparency Project explores the importance of transparency in fostering more responsible U.S. arms transfer practices and supporting legislative and public scrutiny and oversight, to ensure that arms transfer decisions reflect enduring U.S. interests, commitments, and values. The project provides clear recommendations for the executive and legislative branches to enhance transparency and foster accountability in the U.S. arms trade.

Research & Writing

Commentary

After citing waste and fraud in U.S. foreign aid, the Trump administration is dismantling a key mechanism for transparency and oversight in international assistance
September 3, 2025

Commentary

How President Trump’s decision to defy the norms of Congressional consultation undermines one of the last meaningful mechanisms of arms transfer oversight.
June 4, 2025

Policy Paper

Exploring the urgent need for transparency in the US arms trade and identifying pathways for reform.
December 16, 2024

Resource

How transparency can navigate and confront the most common justifications for weapons trade secrecy – risks to operational security and proprietary commercial information.
September 23, 2024

Commentary

The declining quality and quantity of public reporting on U.S. arms transfers undermines transparency, oversight, and accountability.
July 9, 2024

Resource

Deteriorating public reporting on U.S. arms sales and military assistance is adding to the opacity of an already obscure enterprise.
June 18, 2024

Commentary

A look at how a bill raising the value threshold for arms sales notifications poses a risk to congressional and public oversight.
February 1, 2024

Commentary

How the United States can learn from its experience in Ukraine to improve oversight and transparency of the military aid effort for Israel.
November 3, 2023

Policy Paper

Examining reporting patterns and identifying good practice for Ukraine’s arms suppliers
August 18, 2023

Commentary

The United States’ transparency on military aid in Ukraine demonstrates it can do the same for aid to other partners as well.
August 18, 2023

Sub-Projects

There are no subprojects associated with this project.

Events

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