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1h ago

Trump Says U.S. Will Sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia Ahead of Crown Prince’s White House Visit

The pledge sets up congressional scrutiny with Riyadh tying any purchase to credible movement toward Palestinian statehood.

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This photograph shows a pilot disembarking a Belgium's newly purchased Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for the first time, after arriving at the Florennes military airbase, southern Belgium on October 13, 2025.
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Overview

  • Trump said the United States will move to provide Saudi Arabia with Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters, describing the kingdom as a strong partner.
  • An agreement would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab state to operate the F-35 and the only Middle Eastern operator besides Israel.
  • The announcement comes on the eve of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Washington visit, where he is expected to seek defense assurances.
  • Trump signaled openness to a reversible executive-order security pledge for Riyadh, short of a Senate-ratified defense treaty.
  • The prospective sale faces likely pushback over protecting sensitive technology and over Saudi human rights and Yemen, and follows a stalled UAE F-35 bid paused under Biden.