US increased its global weapons exports, but will its dominance continue?
The U.S. is still the world’s largest arms dealer, increasing its dominance year over year. However, that title may be in jeopardy if Europe decides to find another arms dealer.
The United States exported 43% of global weapons from 2020 to 2024, up from 35% over the previous period in 2019, according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute or SIPRI.
The United States is still the world’s largest arms dealer, increasing its dominance year over year, but that title might be in jeopardy if Europe decides to find another arms dealer.
What are the latest numbers?
The United States exported 43% of global weapons from 2020 to 2024, up from 35% over the previous period ending in 2019, according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute or SIPRI on Monday, March 10.
The report stated the U.S. accounted for 64% of imports to European NATO nations from 2020 through 2024. That’s up from 52% between 2015 and 2019, according to the report.
What’s spurring the growth?
The SIPRI data shows the American arms industry is benefitting from rising European defense spending, spurred on by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
European allies bulked up on U.S.-supplied Patriot Air Defense Missile Systems, HIMARS launchers and F-35s in recent years as a result of that war.
Why are there concerns?
However, many of those same allies are now wary of the U.S. after the Trump administration’s move to halt deliveries of U.S. weapons, spare parts and intelligence Kyiv. Many European leaders are questioning whether the U.S. could do the same to them.
Analysts and lawmakers said this may impact Europe’s desire for American weaponry.
France now reportedly ranks as the globe’s second-largest weapons exporter. Countries like Germany, the United Kingdom and Denmark are increasing military spending. South Korea is also a burgeoning arms exporter and many analysts Straight Arrow News Anchor Ryan Robertson spoke with tell him Europe could turn to Seoul to as a result.
Why will U.S. exports to Europe likely continue?
Despite the concerns, analysts said Europe will likely keep buying some weapons from the U.S. because no one else makes anything like them, like F-35s and Patriot or THAAD systems for land-based defense against ballistic missiles.
South Korean police arrest President Yoon after weekslong showdown
South Korea’s anti-corruption agency says authorities arrested the country’s impeached president, Yoon Suk-Yeol. The arrest wraps up a weekslong showdown that saw the president holed up in his secured residence.
The episode also follows a period of instability since Yoon briefly declared martial law in South Korea last month, prompting the country’s parliament to impeach him.
It is the first time authorities in South Korea have arrested a sitting president. Yoon faces questioning as investigators explore whether he led an insurrection, a crime punishable by life in prison or death.
The news led to an outcry from supporters outside Yoon’s house and celebrations from anti-Yoon demonstrators. They chanted, “Your time is up,” and “Resign.”
Yoon sparked national protests after declaring martial law in the middle of a budget showdown and a probe into whether he leveraged his influence to help a business associate.
At the time, Yoon claimed his martial law decree was based on alleged election hacking and “anti-state” North Korean sympathizers.
He reversed the decision after the protests. All the while, members of the legislature got around a military blockade to meet in their chamber and vote to override the martial law declaration.
Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended after the country’s parliament, including a dozen of his own party members, voted to impeach him.
After his arrest, Yoon released a recorded video calling all the investigations illegal.
Anti-corruption authorities can legally hold Yoon for up to 48 hours but would need an arrest warrant to hold him for longer.
An impeachment trial started on Tuesday, Jan. 14. However, it was quickly adjourned after Yoon failed to attend. South Korea’s constitutional court has up to six months to issue a ruling on the impeachment vote.
Ukraine captures North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region, marking the first time Ukraine has detained North Korean troops since their deployment to the conflict. Zelenskyy shared a video showing interrogators questioning the wounded prisoners.
In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North… pic.twitter.com/4RyCfUoHoC
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 12, 2025
One soldier told interrogators that he believed he was on a training exercise and did not know he was in Ukraine until his capture. The other expressed a preference to stay in Ukraine rather than return to North Korea.
According to South Korean intelligence, approximately 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 injured, with many casualties attributed to inadequate training in modern warfare and unsuccessful attempts to counter long-range drones.
Documents recovered from deceased North Korean soldiers revealed orders from Pyongyang instructing troops to avoid capture at all costs, including directives to commit suicide if necessary.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported that one North Korean soldier attempted to detonate a grenade to evade capture, killing himself without injuring Ukrainian forces.
Zelenskyy proposed returning the captured North Korean soldiers to their leader, Kim Jong Un, in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. He emphasized that North Korea’s involvement underscores Russia’s increasing dependence on foreign military assistance, stating that Russia began the war with demands directed at NATO but now relies on support from Pyongyang.
The Kremlin declined to comment on Zelenskyy’s prisoner swap offer, stating the information could not be verified. Zelenskyy also suggested that North Korean soldiers who choose not to return home could remain in Ukraine to help disseminate truthful accounts of the conflict.
N. Korea launched first ballistic missile of 2025 during Blinken’s visit: Seoul
Seoul said that North Korea test fired its first ballistic missile of the new year on Monday, Jan. 6, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea. Blinken and his South Korean counterpart condemned the launch during a joint press conference on the same day.
He called the test fire “another violation of multiple U.N. security resolutions” and the South said that it threatens peace in the Indo-Pacific.
South Korea said that the missile traveled 685 miles before falling into the ocean between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Intelligence officials said the missile was fired from Pyongyang, and the U.S. and South Korean military detected preparations before the test fire.
In response to the launch, Seoul said that it is strengthening its surveillance and security in the region for any potential additional launches. There was no reported damage from the test fire on Monday.
The missile launch came as Blinken visited Seoul for talks with South Korea over the threat of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and its increasingly close relationship with Moscow. Both Blinken and South Korean officials reportedly believe North Korea’s cooperation with Russia is expanding.
Blinken accused Moscow on Monday of planning to “share space and satellite technology” with North Korea. Moscow is already getting help in part of the deal, as Pyongyang has sent thousands of soldiers to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.
As of the publishing of this report, North Korean media has yet to report on the test fire. They usually report on test fires within 24 hours of a launch.
Yoon has repeatedly denied requests from law enforcement to appear for questioning over his martial law declaration. Authorities say they have requested the warrant on charges of abuse of power and for leading an insurrection.
Yoon’s legal team denies the charges, arguing that “an incumbent president cannot be prosecuted for abuse of power.”
Yoon has been suspended from office since the National Assembly’s impeachment vote but has vowed to “fight until the last moment.” He claims he never meant to disrupt the “constitutional order” when he sent hundreds of troops to the National Assembly on Dec. 3.
Now, South Korea’s Constitutional Court must decide whether or not Yoon should be removed from office. If the court decides to oust Yoon, an election will need to take place within 60 days of the ruling. A majority of South Koreans reportedly believe that the declaration of martial law by Yoon was inexcusable.
179 killed, 2 survive plane crash at South Korean airport
More details emerged from a fiery plane crash in South Korea that left 179 people dead in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. It happened Sunday, Dec. 29, at Muan International Airport 180 miles south of Seoul.
The jetliner skid off the runway into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its landing gear allegedly failed to deploy. Only two people survived. South Korean officials said the survivors were crew members and did not appear to have any life-threatening injuries.
Not long before the crash, the control tower issued a warning about birds and granted the crew permission to land in a different area. The pilot reported a bird strike, but the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Officials said the crew also sent out a distress signal shortly before the crash.
South Korean transportation officials said it could take months to figure out exactly what happened.
The plane that crashed in South Korea was a Boeing 737-800, marking yet another setback when it comes to disasters and safety for the plane-maker.
S. Korean president defends martial law declaration days after apology
Days after apologizing for declaring martial law, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gave a defiant speech on Thursday, Dec. 12. Yoon vowed to “fight to the end,” despite mounting criticism and efforts to impeach him coming from opposition parties, as well as some in his own party.
Yoon doubled down on his criticism of the opposition Democratic Party, which he used to justify declaring martial law earlier this month.
In Thursday’s speech, Yoon called his martial law declaration “a warning” to members of the opposition.
Prior to Yoon’s declaration, the Democratic Party and Yoon’s more conservative People Power Party had clashed over several political disputes, including a budget battle and investigations into allegations of corruption surrounding Yoon and his wife.
South Korean law allows a president to declare martial law in times of war or national emergency. However, no leader has done so since 1979, when a military dictatorship ruled the country. As such, the opposition, plus some members of Yoon’s party, say his declaration violated the constitution.
The first effort in the country’s National Assembly to impeach Yoon failed after most of his party voted to block impeachment efforts, preventing it from reaching the requisite two-thirds majority.
Police have been investigating whether Yoon’s actions amount to insurrection, a crime for which he could be arrested. Leaders of an insurrection can face life imprisonment or potentially the death penalty.
Yoon says his actions were just part of governance and that he can’t be charged with insurrection.
Political crisis in S. Korea worsens as N. Korea breaks silence on situation
North Korea, well known for its long history of suppression of free speech and abuse of human rights, broke it silence on Wednesday, Dec. 11, over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law last week. North Korean state media KCNA called the move an “insane act, reminiscent of the coup during the military dictatorship decades ago.”
The North Korean outlet also focused on a series of protests by tens of thousands of people demanding Yoon’s impeachment, which lawmakers reportedly tried and failed to do over on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Foreign policy experts told NBC News North Korea’s criticism is in line with its history of exploiting civil unrest in South Korea, but they said it’s unlikely the nuclear-armed Pyongyang can take advantage of the political chaos, considering some of its most elite forces are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
Seoul’s political crisis continued to spiral this week. CNN reported South Korean police raided the presidential office on Wednesday, as the probe of Yoon’s martial law declaration widens.
Additionally, the former South Korean defense minister reportedly tried to commit suicide while in police custody. South Korean officials said he has now been moved to an isolation room and has no health issues.
During the martial law declaration, South Korean security forces reportedly broke windows and doors at the National Assembly in an attempt to stop lawmakers from gathering.
Before resigning, the former defense minister took responsibility for the military’s actions.
“All troops who performed duties related to martial law were acting on my instructions,” he said.
South Korean president faces impeachment calls after martial law order
Political unrest grows in South Korea after the president’s short-lived martial law order. And U.S. officials urge Americans to use encrypted messaging apps after a massive cyberattack. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.
Push to impeach South Korea’s president after martial law declaration
It may have been short-lived, but the South Korean president’s declaration of martial law could have implications for months to come as six opposition parties have moved to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol.
Martial law grants the military temporary rule during an emergency, which the president can legally declare. Yoon sent heavily armed forces into the streets of Seoul Tuesday, Dec. 3, after suddenly and unexpectedly putting the country under martial law — vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces he claimed were planning a rebellion.
Action was swift, with protesters surrounding South Korea’s parliament building. Lawmakers climbed walls to get back into the building and used fire extinguishers to hold soldiers off so they could unanimously vote to cancel the martial law declaration just hours after it was put in place.
Impeaching Yoon requires the support of two-thirds of the National Assembly and at least six of the country’s nine constitutional court justices. The liberal opposition Democratic Party holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament and has called for Yoon’s resignation.
WATCH: Soldiers arrive at South Korea's parliament after president declares martial law pic.twitter.com/cZX4vsM34y
One Democratic Party lawmaker said an impeachment vote could come as early as Friday, Dec. 5.
Martial law is a sensitive subject in South Korea, which has only been a democracy since the 1980s. Before that, in the wake of the Korean War which ended in 1953, multiple dictatorships emerged with leaders often declaring martial law to prevent antigovernmental protests.
South Korea is considered a key ally of the United States and White House officials said they are “monitoring the situation closely.” The U.S. has about 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea.
Trump’s nominees to lead DEA, FBI, DOD making headlines
Three of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his incoming administration made headlines Tuesday. One nominee dropped out, another was the target of a possible cyberattack, and the third could be replaced.
Trump had nominated Hillsborough County, Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Agency. On Tuesday, Chronister took his name out of the running, saying in a post on X to have been nominated was “an honor of a lifetime” but “as the gravity of this very responsibility set in” he concluded that he must “respectfully withdraw from consideration.”
To have been nominated by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime. Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully… pic.twitter.com/bvNF8m9Bh4
The nomination came under fire from some Trump supporters over Chronister’s enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions during the pandemic. This marks the second Trump nominee to withdraw his name after former Congressman Matt Gaetz said he would not continue his bid to become attorney general.
Meanwhile, reports say Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, was the target of a possible Iran-backed cyberattack. Sources familiar with the situation told multiple outlets, including ABC News and CBS News, the alleged hackers targeted Patel’s communications, but it was not clear how much data they were able to view.
Patel held various roles during Trump’s first term including chief of staff to the secretary of defense.
Finally, there might be a change when it comes to the next defense secretary. The Wall Street Journal and other outlets reported Wednesday morning, Dec. 4, that Trump’s pick of former Fox News anchor and military veteran Pete Hegseth’s is in doubt.
Since his nomination, Hegseth has been the subject of reports on allegations about his personal life, including claims of sexual misconduct, repeated intoxication and rampant womanizing. Hegseth has denied those allegations.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Post both reported Trump is considering Florida governor and former GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Hegseth. Desantis served in the U.S. Navy before becoming governor.
Both Trump and DeSantis attended a memorial service Tuesday for fallen law enforcement officers in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Hegseth has been meeting with Senate Republicans at the Capitol this week to try to rally support ahead of confirmation hearings. People close to the president-elect’s team said talks of a replacement are in the early stages and the next 48 hours are crucial to Hegseth’s fate.
Trump’s lawyers ask judge to toss conviction, cite Biden’s pardon
President-elect Trump’s lawyers have officially asked a judge to throw out his criminal conviction in his so-called “hush money” case.
In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a payment to a porn actor who claimed she and trump had sex. Trump has long denied that.
In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers said continuing the case would present “disruptions to the institution of the presidency” and undermine the transition of power as he prepares to take back the Oval Office next month.
Lawyers also pointed to President Joe Biden’s recent move to pardon his son Hunter of his convictions on tax fraud and gun charges where the president said Hunter was “unfairly prosecuted” as a reason Trump’s case should be dismissed. Trump’s lawyers called his prosecution “political theater.”
Prosecutors have until Monday, Dec. 9 to respond. In the past, they said they would fight efforts to dismiss the case but indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in January 2029.
Americans urged to use encrypted messaging apps after cyberattack
U.S. officials are recommending Americans use encrypted messaging apps amid a cyberattack on telecommunications companies like AT&T and Verizon. Cybersecurity experts advise you to encrypt your text messages and voice communication, if possible.
Threat actors affiliated with the Chinese government have compromised telecom provider networks to conduct a cyber espionage campaign. Network defenders should read new guidance from the #FBI and our partners to harden their systems against this activity: https://t.co/yzh7NedOAepic.twitter.com/GXsN7lbB0f
Officials said China is behind the attack in an attempt to spy on Americans. Chinese officials have not addressed the accusations.
Cyber Monday pulls in record $13.3 billion in sales
Your chances to get some of the deepest discounts of the holiday shopping season have passed with Cyber Monday now in the books. Consumers took full advantage, collectively spending a record $13.3 billion online during Cyber Monday.
Adobe Analytics said that’s up 7.3% from last year and surpassed projections of $13.2 billion in sales. The company said between the peak hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Alone, people spent a combined $15.8 million every 60 seconds.
Adobe said “buy now, pay later” plans were quite popular, accounting for more than $991 million worth of Cyber Monday spending.
Beyoncé tops Billboard’s list of the greatest pop stars of 21st century
The music charting site said the choice is based on Beyoncé’s “full 25 years of influence, impact, [and] evolution.” Billboard added when talking about greatness in the 21st century, nobody else has a longer or fuller track record.
US charges Chinese national with sending guns and ammo to North Korea
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that authorities have arrested and charged an undocumented Chinese national with allegedly buying and sending guns and ammunition to North Korea. That’s according to unsealed court documents unveiled on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
According to the criminal complaint, Shenghua Wen told investigators that North Korean agents funneled $2 million to his partner for weapons purchases through a Chinese bank account.
Prosecutors also say that Wen tried to get U.S. military uniforms. They say it was so North Korean soldiers could disguise themselves and launch a “surprise attack” against South Korea.
The DOJ says Wen met with North Korean officials in China, who ordered him to obtain firearms, ammunition, and other technology for Pyongyang.
FBI agents say Wen admitted to shipping two containers of guns from California to Hong Kong. They were smuggled into North Korea in 2023.
Wen faces charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on North Korea. Those sanctions bar sending American goods or money to the country without special permission from the United States.
The FBI says that it recovered 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Wen’s car in September. Authorities also found devices used to detect chemicals and hidden surveillance technology.
Investigators note they found photos of guns and equipment Wen sent. He allegedly told investigators he coordinated smuggling operations through encrypted messaging apps.
Wen reportedly came to the United States in 2012 on a student visa that expired in December 2013. He spent more than a decade living in California illegally.
Prosecutors accuse him of relying on other people to buy guns and ammunition through so-called “straw purchases.”
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada called the accusations against Wen in the criminal complaint “chilling.”