Trump Approves Selling F-22 Raptor to Israel

Sale will require approval from Congress

Reports out of the Middle East say that President Trump has approved the idea of selling the F-22 Raptor stealth aircraft to Israel, as part of an effort to placate Israel over the sale of F-35s to the United Arab Emirates.

Details are still scant, but such a sale will require an act of Congress, as they have forbidden exports of the F-22 to prevent the stealth technology falling into foreign hands. Getting approval for sales to Israel usually isn’t that difficult, but this may be an exception.

The timing might also not be on the side of this sale. President Clinton approved the idea of such a sale in 2001, and by the time he left office it was ultimately forgotten. Israel has often sought to buy the F-22, but the US hasn’t even made them since 2011, so this seems a rare opportunity for them.

The idea came up again in recent months with talk of the F-35s and qualitative edge, with Israeli officials suggesting that could be the simplest way to relieve concerns over the F-35. Signing off may be an easier decision than actually making such sales happen.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.