Reuters reported on Monday, citing US officials and a source familiar with the decision, that the Trump administration had canceled an order issued under former President Joe Biden directed at Israel that required the Israeli government to report potential violations of international law related to weapons provided by the United States to allies.

National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20), signed by Biden last year, required all countries receiving weapons from the United States to commit in writing that they would not use them to target civilians or restrict humanitarian aid.

States were already obligated to commit to using weapons in accordance with international law, but the concept of a written commitment was new as was the memorandum's directive for the State Department to report to Congress on the matter.

Biden agreed to sign the memorandum amid pressure from progressive Democrats who were specifically looking to limit US military aid to Israel, because it is used to harm civilians in Gaza.

A State Department report issued several months after the memo avoided reaching a conclusion that Israel was actually misusing U.S. security assistance, angering the progressive lawmakers behind NSM-20.

The report, issued in May 2024, said that "Israel may have violated international humanitarian law, but US officials were unable to identify specific instances of violations that harmed civilians due to the chaos of war."

The Trump administration was supposed to submit a report to Congress in the coming months on its own assessment of Israel's behavior.

The Washington Post cited a February 21 order from White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to cancel the NSM-20.

The State Department referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a leading advocate of congressional oversight of U.S. arms sales, said the decision to rescind the memo was “shameful.”

“It is an affront to our national security, universal human rights, and our standing around the world,” Van Hollen said in a statement.

“This move also undermines the right of American taxpayers to ensure that their dollars are used in accordance with our laws and national interests,” he added. “It is yet another clear example of Trump’s blatant disregard for American values. This is not America first — it is America in decline.”

President Trump signed an executive order calling for a review of all national security memoranda issued under Biden upon his entry into the White House on January 20, 2025. He also reversed Biden’s previous decision to freeze a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which had been in effect since last spring due to concerns that the Israeli occupation army would use them in densely populated areas and cause unnecessary civilian harm.