Trump Says US Will Sell F-35 Stealth Jets to Saudi Arabia

AFP/APP

Washington: President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will move forward with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, just a day before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in Washington for high-level talks at the White House.

“We will be doing that. We will be selling F-35s,” Trump told reporters when asked if the agreement would be finalized during Tuesday’s meeting. “They’ve been a great ally,” he added.

Saudi Arabia has long sought to acquire the advanced F-35 aircraft, which in the Middle East are currently operated only by Israel. The potential sale has drawn concern from Israeli officials, even as Washington continues pushing Riyadh toward normalizing relations with Tel Aviv.

A source familiar with the negotiations said Trump and the crown prince are also expected to sign a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation. Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s top oil producers, says it aims to diversify its energy mix and is seeking advanced US nuclear technology under a so-called “123 agreement,” which carries strict non-proliferation safeguards and would require close scrutiny by Congress.

Riyadh maintains it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and recently strengthened its defense partnership with Pakistan, a nuclear power.

The United States has so far restricted F-35 sales to its closest allies, including several NATO members and Israel. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing a Russian air defense system, raising fears the aircraft’s sensitive technology could be compromised.

Prince Mohammed’s visit marks his first trip to the United States since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives, an incident that triggered global outrage and strained ties between Washington and Riyadh.

While the Saudi leader is expected to seek firm US security guarantees, Trump is likely to press him to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel — a move Saudi Arabia is unlikely to agree to at this stage.