In the February 2026 issue of Countertrade and Offset, Melissa Burgess was quoted on how the America First Arms Transfer Strategy is reshaping expectations for defense contractors engaged in international agreements. Burgess noted that the Arms Transfer Strategy "discourages U.S. defence contractors from entering offset arrangements that involve co-production, U.S. investment in new manufacturing abroad, and subcontracting production to non-U.S. suppliers" and advised that contractors should "analyse and be prepared to demonstrate how their proposed endeavours align with the [new] strategy," also addressing the importance of proactively reviewing supply chain relationships.