Fact: The enormous influence of the U.S. defense industry on global political and security events—and especially here in the Middle East—is profound and far-reaching.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has lost its global leadership in many key manufacturing sectors.
Once a leading car exporter, the U.S. is now the world’s largest car importer, bringing in around 8 million vehicles per year—about half of its annual demand.
Shipbuilding has shifted to South Korea and East Asia, and household electronics—washing machines, TVs, refrigerators, personal computers, mobile phones—are largely manufactured in Asia. The same is true for clothing and footwear.
Yet one major industrial field where the U.S. still leads with a massive trade surplus is defense exports—arms, munitions, and related technologies.
Fact: In 2024, the U.S. exported approximately $320 billion worth of arms while importing only $20 billion. This $300 billion surplus comes amid an overall trade deficit of $1 trillion annually.
The defense industry also supplies the vast needs of the U.S. military—the world’s largest and best-equipped force—adding hundreds of billions more in domestic sales.
Roughly 4 million Americans work directly in this industry, with millions more indirectly dependent on it. It’s an industry with a country, not the other way around. Hence, its influence over Congress and the White House is immense. In practice, every U.S. president functions partly as a defense industry salesman.
HOW DOES THIS IMPACT ISRAEL?
1. The downside – advanced U.S. weapons to enemy states
Under current policy—and Trump’s vision—the U.S. aims to sell more weapons to Arab countries.
During upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, the U.S. is expected to sell them F-35 stealth jets, upgraded F-15s, and various missiles.
These weapons could one day be used against Israel.
Israel’s complete dependence on U.S. weapon supplies poses a strategic risk.
The U.S. has occasionally imposed arms embargoes on Israel to serve its regional interests (e.g., the opposition to Israel’s takeover of the Philadelphi Corridor).
2. The U.S. Israel synergy
Due to ongoing conflicts, Israel serves as the world’s top live testing ground for American weaponry.
The Pentagon and U.S. defense firms benefit from Israeli battlefield data and feedback.
Israel receives a $3.8 billion annual aid package to purchase (only) American-made arms.
It should be noted that weapons developed with this funding cannot be exported to other countries without U.S. approval—which is rarely granted.