Washington: United States President Donald Trump has indicated that he is weighing a potential deal to provide Saudi Arabia with F‑35 stealth fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Riyadh had expressed interest in purchasing “a lot of jets” and that he was reviewing the request. The comments come as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to visit the White House next week, where economic and defence agreements are expected to be signed.
Trump described the upcoming talks as “more than a meeting” and said the United States was “honouring” Saudi Arabia. He also repeated his hope that Riyadh would eventually join the Abraham Accords, which have normalised ties between Israel and several Muslim‑majority countries. Saudi Arabia has so far resisted such a move without progress on a roadmap for Palestinian statehood.
Concerns have been raised within the Pentagon about the potential sale. According to a report cited by the New York Times, intelligence officials warned that China could gain access to sensitive F‑35 technology if the deal goes ahead.
The Financial Times previously reported that Washington and Riyadh were exploring the possibility of a broader defence agreement, with hopes that it could be signed during the crown prince’s visit. Saudi Arabia has sought formal US guarantees for its security as well as access to advanced American weaponry.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the largest buyers of US arms, with ties between the two countries built on decades of cooperation in which the kingdom supplies oil and Washington provides defence support.