Trump Backs F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia as MBS Visits White House

Overview

• Trump said the United States will sell F-35 fighters to Saudi Arabia, framing the move as support for a longtime ally while stressing that discussions continue.
• Riyadh has sought up to 48 jets in a multibillion-dollar package as it pursues air force modernization and counters regional threats.
• A Defense Intelligence Agency assessment warned that a sale could expose sensitive F-35 technology to China given Saudi security ties with Beijing.
• Any transfer requires congressional review, with pressure from AIPAC and some Republicans absent Saudi-Israel normalization and a record of Trump bypassing past objections.
• Talks also include a prospective civilian nuclear cooperation framework under a Section 123-type agreement subject to strict nonproliferation conditions.