US President Donald Trump revealed yesterday that he is considering a major deal to supply Saudi Arabia with F-35 stealth fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
“They wanna buy a lot of jets,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I’m looking at that. They’ve asked me to look at it. They want to buy a lot of ‘35’ — but they want to buy actually more than that, fighter jets.”
This potential sale comes as Trump prepares to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House next week, where the two leaders are expected to sign key economic and defense agreements.
Speaking about the upcoming visit, Trump emphasized that the meeting is “more than meeting, we’re honouring” Saudi Arabia, underlining the growing importance of US-Saudi relations.
The US President also expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would soon join the Abraham Accords, which have helped normalize relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority nations. Riyadh, however, has maintained that any such step requires an agreed roadmap toward Palestinian statehood.
The potential sale has raised concerns at the Pentagon, as a recent intelligence report highlighted the risk that China could gain access to F-35 technology if the deal goes forward, according to the New York Times.
The discussion reflects the high stakes of modern defense diplomacy, balancing lucrative military contracts with broader geopolitical considerations. For citizens, it’s a reminder of how international agreements can influence global security and economic landscapes—and how decisions made in Washington echo across continents.
