Trump Approves F-35 Sales as Saudi Arabia Pledges $1 Trillion

President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a high-profile state visit to Washington on November 18, 2025, resulting in a sweeping strategic reset of U.S.-Saudi relations. Trump designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally and signed a Strategic Defense Agreement authorizing the sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets and approximately 300 Abrams tanks. In exchange, Mohammed bin Salman pledged to increase Saudi investments in the U.S. from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion, targeting artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing.

Despite the economic and military breakthroughs, diplomatic tensions persisted over the Abraham Accords. Trump pressured the Crown Prince to normalize relations with Israel, but Mohammed bin Salman rejected immediate normalization, insisting on a "clear path" toward a Palestinian state—a condition Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly opposes. To address Israeli concerns regarding its qualitative military edge, U.S. officials clarified that the Saudi F-35s would be downgraded versions lacking the advanced electronic warfare and weapons systems used by Israel.

The visit also served as a venue for a public reconciliation between Trump and Elon Musk, who attended a White House dinner after a severe feud over fiscal policy. Additionally, Trump dismissed U.S. intelligence findings regarding the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, asserting the Crown Prince "knew nothing about it," while Mohammed bin Salman described the killing as a "huge mistake."

Beyond defense and diplomacy, the leaders finalized agreements on civil nuclear energy cooperation and critical minerals. The visit concluded with a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center, where $270 billion in corporate deals were signed, including partnerships between xAI and Saudi-backed Humain to build a massive data center.