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US confirms F-35 fighter jet sale to Saudi Arabia
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will proceed with the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a significant expansion of military cooperation between the two nations. The declaration came ahead of a White House meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader's first visit since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Meeting agenda: Defense, nuclear power, and regional diplomacy
The talks are expected to cover defense agreements, civilian nuclear energy partnerships, and efforts to push Saudi Arabia toward normalizing relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords-a Trump-brokered initiative. The crown prince's last official visit to Washington occurred in 2018, the same year Khashoggi was killed in Istanbul by Saudi operatives. US intelligence later concluded that Prince Mohammed had approved the operation, though he has repeatedly denied involvement.
Former President Joe Biden had avoided hosting the crown prince, vowing to treat Saudi Arabia as a "pariah" over its human rights record. However, Biden did meet with Saudi leaders in Riyadh in 2022, where he claimed to have raised Khashoggi's murder during discussions on energy and security.
Record-breaking arms deal raises strategic concerns
The potential F-35 sale follows a May agreement in Riyadh, where the US committed to a $142 billion arms package for Saudi Arabia-the "largest defense sales agreement in history," according to the White House-as part of a broader $600 billion investment deal. Saudi Arabia remains the largest buyer of American weaponry.
Yet the proposed F-35 transfer has drawn criticism from US defense officials, who warn that sharing the jet's stealth technology could risk proliferation, particularly given Saudi Arabia's deepening security ties with China. Israeli officials have also expressed alarm, arguing that arming Riyadh with F-35s-currently exclusive to Israel in the Middle East-could undermine the country's military edge.
Cost and capabilities
A single F-35A, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, carries an average price tag of $82.5 million. The fifth-generation jet is considered the most advanced fighter in operation, featuring radar-evasive stealth and integrated sensor systems.
Conditional diplomacy: Israel-Saudi normalization
Trump is also expected to press Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, which would require Riyadh to establish formal ties with Israel. Saudi officials have insisted that any such move hinges on progress toward a Palestinian state-a demand the current Israeli government has rejected. The crown prince's visit underscores the delicate balance between US strategic interests, regional alliances, and lingering human rights controversies.
"They've been a great ally," Trump told reporters, defending the decision to proceed with the sale.
