Trump repeals Biden directive linking U.S. arms to human rights

25/2/2025 7:24

The Trump administration has rescinded a Biden-era order that required it to report potential violations of international law involving U.S.-supplied weapons by allies including Israel, two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the decision said on Monday.



The Washington Post first reported the decision, citing current and former officials, to scrap National Security Memorandum-20, which was signed by former President Joe Biden in February 2024 amid criticism over Israel's use of American bombs in its war in Gaza.



The memorandum required the U.S. government to produce reports for Congress on the use of U.S. arms by other countries. In May 2024, in a report required by the memorandum, Biden's administration said Israel may have breached international humanitarian law but that U.S. officials were unable to identify

specific instances of breaches that harmed civilians due to the chaos of war.