Just before President ‘s scheduled visit to the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. State Department has given its approval for a potential sale of helicopters and F-16 fighter jet components to the UAE, totaling over $1.4 billion.

The proposed deal includes $1.32 billion for CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and $130 million for parts for F-16 aircraft, according to Monday’s announcement from the .

Congress has been notified of the proposed sale by the agency. However, some Democratic lawmakers have previously indicated potential reluctance to approve the deal.

This announcement precedes Trump’s expected visit to the UAE later this week, the final leg of his four-day tour of the Middle East, which also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, marking his first major international trip during his second term.

The UAE has already committed to investing $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade, with a focus on sectors such as semiconductors, manufacturing, energy, and artificial intelligence.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the oversee arms transfers and defense trade.

The State Department initially reviews proposed deals with other countries to ensure alignment with U.S. government objectives. Upon approval, Congress is notified. Congress can reject the sale, but if they don’t, negotiations proceed.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., stated on Monday, before the State Department’s announcement, that he would “block any arms sale to a nation that is doing direct personal business with Trump,” citing the UAE-backed investment firm’s $2 billion investment in Trump’s crypto venture and the U.S. president’s administration accepting Qatar’s gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet for use as Air Force One.

“We should have a full Senate debate and vote,” Murphy posted on X. “UAE’s investment in Trump crypto and Qatar’s gifting of a plane is nuclear grade graft. An unacceptable corruption of our foreign policy.”

“Normally, arms sales go forward without a vote,” he added. “But any Senator can object and force a full debate and Senate vote. I will do that for any military deal with a nation that is paying off Trump personally. We can’t act like this is normal foreign policy.”

In January, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., voiced their opposition to a $1.2 billion , citing concerns that the country was providing weapons to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, a group the U.S. has accused of war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Congress has previously attempted to prevent Trump from finalizing arms sales to Gulf nations, including in 2019 during his first term, when lawmakers placed holds on deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to concerns regarding civilian casualties in the Yemen war, where the Saudi coalition has been accused of causing the majority of civilian deaths.

However, Trump has used a provision that allows sales to proceed immediately without a review period in situations deemed emergencies.

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