US Upgrades from D to A, Two Congressman Oppose

[ABS News Service/21.08.2026]

Two House Democrats are questioning the Administration's decision to ease export controls on the United Arab Emirates, demanding records explaining the Commerce Department's determination that the UAE now qualifies as one of the United States' most trusted export-control partners.

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Reps. Gregory Meeks (NY) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Calif) questioned both the substance of the Bureau of Industry and Security's July 10 rule and whether political considerations influenced the decision.

The lawmakers asked Mr. Lutnick to disclose the interagency process behind the UAE's reclassification from Country Groups D:3 and D:4 to Country Group A:5, including any memoranda, legal analyses, intelligence assessments and agency recommendations supporting the move. They also requested copies of any government-to-government agreements with the UAE relating to export controls, diversion prevention or technology security.

Lack of Proof

“The Department has upgraded the UAE from a proliferation concern to a trusted partner without providing a justification or evidence that the UAE has fully cut off AI and technology cooperation with China,: the lawmakers wrote. “There remain significant concerns about whether UAE companies such as G42 have adopted sufficient safeguards to prevent diversion to China.”

The letter also seeks answers regarding potential conflicts of interest stemming from President Trump's financial ties to the UAE. The lawmakers cited earlier reporting that an Abu Dhabi royal acquired a 49 percent stake in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's cryptocurrency venture, before the Administration approved exports of up to 500,000 advanced AI chips to the UAE, including allocations for an AI company controlled by the same royal.

The two Democrats asked whether Mr. Lutnick or BIS officials discussed UAE export-control policy with representatives of World Liberty Financial or members of the President's family, whether the White House directed Commerce to pursue the reclassification, and whether the Departments of State, Defense and Energy concurred in the decision.

The Administration has defended the July rule as reflecting significant improvements in the UAE's export-control system and technology-security safeguards. The final rule moves the UAE into Country Group A:5, making it the first Arab country to receive the designation and expanding eligibility for License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA), advanced computing exports to approved entities, and other EAR license exceptions.