The proposed changes, laid out in a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Chair JIM RISCH (R-Idaho), would raise the dollar thresholds that require Congress to review arms transfers, as Robbie and our pal Joe Gould scoop today. This would streamline sales to close partners such as Poland, Romania and the Baltic states as they scramble to build up their military arsenals to confront Russia.

The proposal could offer a glimmer of good news to nervous NATO allies at a time when President DONALD TRUMP is straining transatlantic ties. But the plan faces headwinds in Congress, where lawmakers may be reluctant to give up oversight of controversial foreign military sales. It could also sting partner nations not included in Washington’s preferred circle.

The April 7 letter, signed by Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO and Defense Secretary PETE HEGSETH, proposes major changes to the Arms Export Control Act, which would double and, for certain firearms, quadruple the current levels for deals to require congressional notification. Under the current law, the State Department has to notify Congress of any sale of major defense equipment to a NATO ally that costs $25 million or more. Rubio and Hegseth want to raise that threshold to $55 million or more.

“These proposed changes would reduce timelines and optimize the arms transfer process,” they say in the letter, noting that the current notification requirement is “a substantial draw on the Departments’ limited time and resources.”

The proposal follows a Trump executive order signed earlier this month that directs agencies to overhaul the U.S. arms export process.

The two efforts signal a broader push to revamp how the U.S. sells arms abroad, with major implications for global allies, Congress and the multibillion-dollar U.S. defense industry.

Lawmakers in both parties have traditionally defended the notification process as a core oversight tool, especially for controversial sales. Rep. GREGORY MEEKS (D-N.Y.), for example, has been blocking U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, a key U.S. Middle Eastern partner, over its role in covertly arming a militia accused of genocide in Sudan.

A State Department spokesperson said that reforming the U.S. foreign defense sales process strengthens ally partnerships and boosts the U.S. defense industrial base, which is a strategic priority for the administration. “For too long and despite efforts at reform, bureaucratic red tape has held back security cooperation with U.S. allies,” the spokesperson said.

Joe caught up with Risch and other lawmakers in the hallways on Capitol Hill today to ask about the letter. Risch declined to comment on it directly but acknowledged congressional frustration with the executive branch’s transparency on arms sales. “You always want more. You usually get less,” he said.

Sen. RAND PAUL (R-Ky.), who has led or supported multiple efforts to block foreign arms sales, said he would oppose the reform but declined to comment further.

The panel’s top Democrat, Sen. JEANNE SHAHEEN of New Hampshire, said she had not seen the letter and added that the cause of arms sales delays isn’t Congress — it’s industry’s capacity to build weapons, which will only get worse under Trump’s tariffs. “The problem is the defense industry doesn’t have the capacity,” she said.

European allies are hungry for expedited arms sales as they expand their militaries to confront Russia. But the changes carry diplomatic risks. Countries not included in the favored group — particularly partners in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America — may read any updated thresholds as an explicit signal that Washington sees them as less of a priority.

“We’re not trying to pick winners and losers,” said one State Department official granted anonymity to discuss ongoing internal deliberations. “What we’re trying to do is make sure we have the right alignment with our foreign policy.”