In a major geopolitical move, US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Washington will go ahead with selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, even as sections of his own administration express unease over the possibility of China gaining access to sensitive American defence technology. The announcement comes just as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman begins his high-profile visit to Washington, marking his first trip to the United States in more than seven years. When asked about the sale, Trump declared, "I will say that we will be doing that...We'll be selling F-35s," The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Balancing Middle East equations and US strategic interests
The crown prince is expected to arrive with key demands, including clearly defined US security guarantees for the kingdom and an agreement to acquire the highly advanced F-35 jets. However, the US administration remains cautious about safeguarding Israel's qualitative military edge. This sensitivity is heightened as Trump relies on Israeli backing for his Gaza peace initiative. Officials have also expressed concern that the technology could be compromised or misused, a fear that had earlier affected potential F-35 sales to the United Arab Emirates. The growing cooperation between Riyadh and Beijing, including recent joint naval drills and China's role in mediating Saudi-Iranian rapprochement in 2023, has further intensified US worries.
Despite China becoming Saudi Arabia's top trading partner last year, the United States continues to be the kingdom’s preferred source for defence equipment. Analysts say that Congress may seek strong assurances from Riyadh regarding its engagements with Beijing, along with detailed plans to ensure Israel’s military advantage is maintained.
Abraham accords: Ambition vs ground reality
The timing of Trump's decision is significant as he attempts to broker normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel. He has been pitching the expansion of the Abraham Accords, a signature achievement of his first term, as the key to long-term peace in the Middle East. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, he said, "I hope that Saudi Arabia will be going into the Abraham Accords very shortly." Yet internal assessments remain cautious. Saudi Arabia has reiterated that it will only join the accords if there is a guaranteed roadmap to a Palestinian state -- a condition strongly opposed by Israel. The recent UN Security Council nod to a US-backed Gaza stabilisation plan, which outlines a possible pathway to Palestinian statehood, has added a new dynamic, but officials say a breakthrough is unlikely in the near future. There is still guarded optimism that an agreement may be possible by the end of Trump’s second term.
Bradley Bowman, an expert with the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, remarked, "Let's hope that President Trump makes clear that the first F-35 will not be delivered until Saudi Arabia normalises relations with Israel. Otherwise, the president will undercut his own leverage."
Past deals and political crosscurrents
The debate around F-35 sales is not new. In November 2020, the Trump administration informed Congress about its plan to sell 50 F-35 jets to the UAE in a massive 23 billion dollar package aimed at countering Iran. The move came shortly after the UAE signed the Abraham Accords. However, this deal was suspended by President Joe Biden in early 2021.
Trump's approval for the Saudi deal is likely to attract criticism from human rights groups, especially since this visit marks the crown prince's first trip to Washington since 2018. His earlier US tour aimed to reshape Saudi Arabia’s image, but global anger spiked months later following the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an operation that US intelligence agencies believe the prince likely authorised. While he denies involvement, the incident had cast a long shadow on US-Saudi ties.
A reset in US-Saudi relations
Trump appears to have moved past earlier tensions and strengthened his rapport with the crown prince, whom he considers critical to America’s future strategy in the Middle East. Acknowledging the kingdom’s role, Trump recently stated, "They have been a great ally."
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