Old political moves: How weapon supplies changed during White House transition
Looking back at a critical moment in US military aid history from 8 years ago. Last-minute decisions by administration raised questions about weapon stockpiles and future policy direction
Back in late-2016 President Bidenʼs team worked fast-paced to send military supplies to Ukraine which raised some eye-brows in Washington. The quick-moving plan (which happened during the presidential switch-over period) made some govt workers worry about US weapon storage levels
The rush to deliver military-grade equipment happened because of two main things: Russia was doing better on the battle-field; and pro-Ukraine officials thought Donald Trump might change everything after jan-20. Some top-level decision makers didnt like how this could affect Americas ability to deal with other world hot-spots
The high-stakes move showed how White House transitions can affect global aid choices — the out-going team tried to lock-in their policy before the new president took charge. US military planners had to balance between helping allies and keeping enough supplies for themselves; this created a tricky situation for everyone involved in the process
