Trump Approves F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia Before Prince Salman’s U.S. Visit

US President Donald Trump on Monday hailed Saudi Arabia as a “great ally” and confirmed.

That the United States will approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the kingdom, just a day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets him at the White House. Responding to questions about the possible transfer of the advanced jets, Trump said, “We will be doing that. We will be selling F-35s.” He added that Riyadh had long been a reliable partner for Washington.

Prince Mohammed is set to hold talks with Trump on Tuesday. According to the Associated Press, the Saudi leader is expected to bring a detailed wishlist that includes stronger US security guarantees and progress on the proposed F-35 deal.

The F-35, the world’s most advanced multirole stealth aircraft, offers unmatched offensive, defensive and electronic-warfare capabilities, giving any nation that acquires it a significant boost in air power. The jet is designed to perform air-combat, strike, surveillance and electronic-warfare missions in a single platform.

Despite Trump’s confirmation, the sale remains politically delicate. Washington has historically been cautious about approving weapons systems that could affect Israel’s qualitative military advantage, a key pillar of US policy in the region — particularly as Trump relies on Israeli support for his Gaza peace plan.

US officials have also raised concerns about the security of F-35 technology, citing the possibility of sensitive systems being compromised or accessed by China, which maintains close ties with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

However, Axios reported that Israel is not opposed to Washington selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia — provided the deal is linked to Riyadh normalising relations with Israel, according to two Israeli officials.