President Donald Trump is expected to unilaterally reinterpret a 38-year-old arms control treaty to sell sophisticated "Reaper"-style and other advanced military drones abroad, according to a US official and four people familiar with the plan.

The new interpretation would unlock the sale of more than 100 MQ-9 drones to Saudi Arabia, requested earlier this year as part of a $142 billion arms deal announced in May. US allies in the Pacific and Europe have also expressed interest.

By designating drones as aircraft like the F-16 rather than missile systems, the United States would sidestep the 35-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) agreement signed in 1987. This would propel drone sales to countries such as the UAE and Eastern European states that have struggled to access US unma

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