Scoop: Weapons sales to NATO allies stalled by government shutdown

""This is actually really harming both our allies and partners and US industry to actually deliver a lot of these critical capabilities overseas," a senior State Department official told Axios."

""Democrats are holding up critical weapons sales, including to our NATO allies, which harms the U.S. industrial base and puts our and our partners' security at risk," State spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Axios in a statement."

""China and Russia aren't shut down, their efforts to undermine the U.S. and our partners and allies get easier, while our industrial base suffers and our allies' needs go unmet," Senate Foreign Relations Chair James Risch (R-Idaho) told Axios in a statement."

Furloughed State Department staff have slowed the congressional review required by the Arms Export Control Act, delaying arms sales and export licenses to NATO allies. Deliveries of AMRAAM missiles, Aegis combat systems, and HIMARS destined for Denmark, Croatia, and Poland have been affected. Pending transactions include both direct U.S. government sales and private U.S. defense company export licenses. The ultimate end uses of some exports are unclear, and arms sold to NATO allies are often subsequently transferred to assist Ukraine. State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs operated at roughly one quarter of normal staffing for arms sales last month, creating processing backlogs and industrial impacts.

Read at Axios