The US State Department approved on Tuesday the sale of a batch of F-35 fighter jets and MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle systems to the United Arab Emirates, a potential sale plan that is still opposed by many congressional Democrats. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in a statement that the package is estimated to cost $23.37 billion, including up to 50 F-35 fighter jets worth $10.4 billion, 18 MQ-9Bs worth $2.97 billion, and $10 billion worth of air-to-air and air to ground ammunition.

Pompeo said, "This is because we recognize that our relationship is deepening and the UAE needs advanced defense capabilities to contain and defend against higher threats from Iran. The historic agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize relations under the Abraham Accord provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actively change the strategic landscape of the region. Our opponents, especially Iran's, know this and will do whatever it takes to undermine this common success

He added, "The proposed sale will enhance the UAE's ability and interoperability with US partners, which is fully in line with the US's long-standing commitment to ensuring the quality of Israel's military advantage." He added that a legal standard of the US is that Israel maintains military technological superiority over its neighbors. Since the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, this deal has been eagerly anticipated. The US government had previously informally informed Congress of the details of the sale, and major foreign policy Democrats stated that they would take action to prevent the sale. The potential foreign arms sales reported to Congress do not guarantee progress, and in the final negotiations, the quantity and dollar figures often change. However, even at this point, it would still be a major victory for the United Arab Emirates, which has long sought the stealth F-35; This also represents a victory for the Trump administration, as it regards increasing US arms exports as a key part of its economic platform.