President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will designate Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, marking a significant deepening of U.S.-Saudi defense ties.
According to CBS News, the announcement came during a black-tie White House dinner honoring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Earlier in the day, the two leaders signed a new strategic defense agreement, and Trump confirmed that the U.S. will sell F-35 fighter jets to the kingdom.
The designation could pave the way for closer military cooperation and easier access to U.S.-made defense equipment, while also carrying symbolic weight.
Trump said at the dinner, “A stronger and more capable alliance will advance the interests of both countries, and it will serve the highest interests of peace.” He added that the move would take “our military cooperation to even greater heights.”
Currently, the U.S. has 20 major non-NATO allies, including Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan. The designation gives partner nations special privileges, such as expanded access to American military technology and training.
The U.S.-Saudi relationship stretches back more than 80 years to a 1945 meeting between King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt aboard a U.S. Navy cruiser.
Over the decades, the two nations have collaborated closely on defense and shared strategic interests, particularly countering Iran’s influence in the region.
Tuesday’s White House events featured a military flyover and elaborate ceremonies. The leaders discussed expanded military and economic cooperation, including Saudi purchases of hundreds of tanks and fighter jets.
The nations also plan to partner on artificial intelligence and civil nuclear initiatives. Bin Salman pledged to increase Saudi investment in the U.S. to nearly $1 trillion, up from $600 billion.
Trump addressed potential conflicts of interest, noting that while members of his family have some business interests in Saudi Arabia, “they’ve done very little with Saudi Arabia, actually.”
The two leaders also discussed the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic agreements Trump brokered between Israel and several majority-Muslim states. Bin Salman said he is interested in joining but wants a clear path to a Palestinian state. Trump added that they “had a very good talk on the Abraham Accords.”
Saudi Arabia’s human rights record remains controversial. U.S. intelligence concluded that bin Salman approved the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump defended the crown prince, saying he believes bin Salman “knew nothing” about the killing, while bin Salman called the incident “really painful to hear.”
