Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmanโs visit to the White House has placed advanced U.S. fighter jets at the center of a fast-deepening security partnership.
President Donald Trump said he plans to approve the sale of F-35 Lightning II stealth jets to Saudi Arabia, calling the kingdom โa great allyโ during their meeting on Tuesday. The move would give Riyadh one of the most powerful aircraft fleets in the Middle East.
The announcement came as six U.S. fighter jets, three F-35s and three F-15s, flew over the South Lawn during a rare welcome ceremony. Trump and the crown prince later toured the White House grounds before opening talks on defense, regional stability, and long-term security needs. โWeโll be selling F-35s,โ Trump told reporters. MBS nodded with a smile, saying both countries were facing โmore and moreโ shared opportunities.
![F-35 fighter jets [Source Aljazeera]](https://autojournal.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/F-35-fighter-jets-Source-Aljazeerah.webp)
Questions remain about whether Washington will tie the F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. Trump said last week he believed the kingdom could join โfairly shortly,โ but Riyadh insists any deal must include โconcrete progressโ toward a Palestinian state. The push comes as the United States tries to hold together a Gaza cease-fire backed by a U.S.-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution.
The visit also highlights the scale of U.S.โSaudi trade. Goods trade reached $25.9 billion in 2024, and Saudi investments in the U.S. may rise to $1 trillion. Still, this is MBSโs first Washington trip since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which U.S. intelligence said he approved.
Riyadh denies his involvement, though he accepted responsibility as the kingdomโs leader. Both sides now say they want a security partnership built on modern defense, shared interests, and stability.
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![F-35 fighter jet [Source Gulf Magazine]](https://autojournal.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/F-35-fighter-jet-Source-Gulf-Magazine.png)















