WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is considering a proposal to supply Saudi Arabia with F-35 stealth fighter jets, one of the most advanced aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the kingdom had expressed strong interest in purchasing the jets. “They wanna buy a lot of jets… They want to buy a lot of ‘35’ — actually more than that,” he said.
The prospective sale surfaces just days before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to visit the White House next week. The two sides are expected to finalise a series of economic and defence agreements during the trip. Trump described the upcoming meeting as “more than a meeting,” saying the United States would be “honouring” Saudi Arabia.
He also reiterated his hope that Riyadh would eventually join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements that normalised relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority states. However, Saudi Arabia has so far declined to join without a clear roadmap toward Palestinian statehood.
The potential F-35 sale has triggered concerns within US defence circles. According to a Pentagon intelligence assessment reported by the New York Times, officials fear that sensitive F-35 technology could be compromised if the deal goes ahead, citing the risk that China could gain access to classified capabilities through Saudi channels.
The discussions come amid deepening US-Saudi defence cooperation and Washington’s efforts to strengthen strategic ties with Riyadh while navigating regional security and global technological rivalry.
