President Donald Trump announced that he has formally designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a move intended to reinforce security and defense cooperation between Washington and Riyadh. The declaration came after his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which the Crown Prince committed to increasing Saudi investments in the United States from USD 600 billion to USD 1 trillion.
Trump also confirmed plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, which would make it the first West Asian nation after Israel to acquire the advanced aircraft. The United States currently maintains 19 major non-NATO allies across the world, including several in the region, though Taiwan remains outside the formal designation.
Trump described the decision as a step that would strengthen both countries and contribute to regional stability, noting that the two sides signed what he called a historic strategic defense agreement.