Overview
- Trump’s vow comes on the eve of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s White House visit, with the jets discussed as part of a broader push that includes a potential U.S. security pledge to Riyadh.
- Saudi officials have indicated they will not accept the fighters without credible movement toward a Palestinian state.
- The proposal remains at an early stage, with Pentagon and State Department reviews underway, no signed contract, and formal congressional notification still to come.
- Israeli concerns over preserving its qualitative military edge persist, and reporting says any sale may be conditioned on Saudi normalization with Israel.
- Saudi Arabia has reportedly requested up to 48 jets in a deal that could take years to deliver and train for, with lawmakers warning about human-rights issues and protection of sensitive F-35 technology, including from China.