US Approves Selling Most Advanced F-35s And Other Top Tier Weapons To Saudi Arabia, Trump Says This Is Just The Beginning | World News

Washington, DC: On a lively Wednesday evening in the US capital, President Donald Trump appeared before an audience of American and Saudi business leaders and made one of his most emphatic promises yet about the future of Washington’s relations with Riyadh. He spoke with unusual ease when announcing at the US-Saudi Investment Forum that the US was preparing to provide Saudi Arabia with unique military hardware.

Trump, usually measured when defense deals are being discussed on public platforms, leaned into that moment. “…we officially designated the kingdom as a major non-NATO ally yesterday… It’s a sign of trust. We signed a historic strategic defense agreement yesterday… We’re going to sell to Saudi Arabia some of the largest military equipment ever built. We produce the best military equipment in the world by far. That’s why we do the most work, including nearly 300 American-made tanks that you buy, many other things, aircraft…” he said, to a long round of applause.

The president attributed this stepped-up defense cooperation to what he described as a renewed bond between Washington and Riyadh following the U.S. operation targeting Iran’s nuclear program earlier this year. He remembered that moment with pride once again.

“The partnership between our two nations is among the most important partnerships in the entire world, and together the Crown Prince and I are creating an alliance stronger and stronger than ever before… And now it is, and probably even better because we lifted the dark cloud in your country. It was called Iran and its nuclear capability. We destroyed it very quickly and powerfully… But it was a real cloud over the whole Middle East, and now they want to make a deal… We will probably do that,” he said.

Speaking in vivid terms about the B-2 bombers flying unnoticed, Trump revisited the classified details of the attack: “The B2s were undetectable and they dropped their payloads, and each bomb hit its exact target, which was a shaft that went deep into the mountain… and that meant total destruction… But they want to make a deal. Let’s see what happens.”

Beyond security cooperation, he highlighted a broad list of economic and technological agreements signed during this week’s talks. He called them “groundbreaking” and thanked the Saudi delegation for “an extraordinary show of confidence in the American economy.”

“This week our countries also signed groundbreaking agreements on civil nuclear energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence… This is in addition to the $600 billion investment that Saudi Arabia announced in the United States during my visit last spring… Yesterday the Crown Prince announced that they will invest in the United States, $1 trillion… We were told that $270 billion in deals and sales have been signed between dozens of companies… On behalf of thousands of American workers, I want to thank you for bringing me all these jobs and great opportunities. Our country…” he said.

The ceremonial background of these announcements was equally striking. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a reception at the White House reminiscent of visits reserved for heads of state: a mounted guard of honor, a parade of six military jets and a cannon salute thundering across the South Lawn. Trump personally walked her around the newly created “Presidential Walk of Fame” before the pair entered the Oval Office.

“We have a highly respected man in the Oval Office today, and a long-time friend of mine,” he said as he welcomed the Crown Prince.

During the conversation in the Oval Office, one of the most closely followed diplomatic files in the Middle East was touched upon. The Crown Prince addressed the issue directly, signaling a major shift in Saudi Arabia’s regional stance.

“We want to be part of the agreement, but we also want to make sure that we secure a clear path to a two-state solution,” the Crown Prince said, referring to the Abraham Accords that changed the diplomatic landscape of the region in 2020. “We want them (Israel and Palestine) to coexist peacefully in the region, and we will do our best to reach an agreement,” he said.

President Trump then made another statement that is likely to resonate with security circles in Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi and beyond. Announced that the USA is preparing to sell F-35 stealth aircraft to Saudi Arabia; This decision will give the Kingdom access to the same advanced combat aircraft long reserved for Israel.

Approval of the F-35 sale marks a departure from a policy by which Washington has traditionally ensured that Israel has exclusive access to the region’s most advanced American-made systems. The decision underscores the extent of the new defense partnership Trump hopes to solidify with Riyadh, as officials insist that the US’s commitment to Israel’s “qualitative military superiority” remains intact.