Trump says U.S. plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

U.S. President Donald Trump says he plans to approve the sale of American-made F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. He made the comment on Monday, a day before hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for diplomatic talks in Washington.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters, “I will say that we will be doing that… We’ll be selling the F-35s.”

If approved, the sale would represent a major shift in U.S. policy in the Middle East and could impact America’s long-standing commitment to ensuring that Israel maintains a military advantage in the region.

Saudi Arabia has asked to buy up to 48 F-35 jets in a multibillion-dollar deal. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the plan had passed an important Pentagon review ahead of the crown prince’s visit. The kingdom has been interested in the advanced fighter for years as it tries to modernize its air force and strengthen its defenses, especially against Iran.

A senior White House official said the president wanted to discuss the jets with the crown prince before making a final decision. Saudi Arabia is the biggest buyer of U.S. military equipment and has repeatedly pushed for access to the F-35. The Saudi Air Force currently flies U.S.-made F-15s as well as European Tornado and Typhoon jets.

According to U.S. officials, the Pentagon’s policy department studied the possible sale for months. Washington usually handles arms sales in the Middle East carefully to protect Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” a rule that ensures Israel receives more advanced U.S. weapons than neighboring Arab states.

The F-35, built by Lockheed Martin, is widely considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet because of its stealth technology, which allows it to avoid detection. Israel has operated F-35s for almost 10 years and is currently the only country in the region with the aircraft.

The potential sale is also linked to broader diplomatic efforts. During the Biden administration, U.S. officials explored the idea of offering F-35s to Saudi Arabia as part of a deal that included normalizing relations with Israel, but talks stalled.

Any final approval could face resistance from the U.S. Congress. Some lawmakers remain cautious about selling advanced weapons to Saudi Arabia, especially after the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.