US president signals major arms deal ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House.
United States President Donald Trump has said he will greenlight the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, signaling a notable departure in how Washington handles sophisticated weapons transfers to Arab countries.
Trump made the announcement on Monday at the White House, just one day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to visit. “We’ll be selling F-35s,” the president told reporters, lauding Washington’s ties with Riyadh.
“Yeah, I am planning on doing it. They want to buy them. They’ve been a great ally,” Trump said.
The decision marks a substantial win for Riyadh as Trump works to convince Saudi Arabia to establish official ties with Israel as part of the so-called Abraham Accords.
But Saudi officials have repeatedly re-asserted the kingdom’s commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions recognition of Israel on the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
The potential arms deal between Washington and Riyadh raises questions about preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge, which is enshrined in US law. Some Israeli officials have already voiced opposition to the transfer of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia.
