President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the U.S. will approve the sale of advanced F‑35 Lightning II fighter jets to Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi Arabia. The deal comes just ahead of the crown prince’s visit to Washington.
Trump said the Saudis “have been a great ally … we will be selling F-35s.” This marks a major shift in U.S. policy, as Israel has long held exclusive access to the jets in the region.
While the move signals deeper defense ties between Washington and Riyadh, it also raises concern among U.S. officials about whether sensitive U.S. technology could be exposed, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s growing ties with China.
