The US President, Donald Trump, announced that he has formally designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, in a significant boost for defense cooperation between the two allies.
Trump made the announcement on Tuesday, during a formal dinner at the White House to honor the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, who is on an official working visit to the US.
Strengthening Defense Partnership
“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that’s very important to them,” Trump said.
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"Tonight, I'm pleased to announce that we are taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally." – PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/5tOxIlwdV2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 19, 2025
The announcement followed a meeting between the Saudi Crown Prince and Trump at the White House, after which they signed a “historic” Saudi-US Strategic Defense Agreement that strengthens the bilateral defense partnership and bolsters deterrence across the Middle East.
Moreover, the US President approved the sale of F-35 stealth fighters to the Kingdom, and secured an agreement for Saudi Arabia to purchase nearly 300 American tanks as part of a major defense sale package, according to the White House.
Deepening Cooperation
The two leaders also signed several agreements that boost their strategic partnership, including the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, an AI Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and a Critical Minerals Framework.
In addition, they signed a number of agreements to expand economic partnership, enhance investment opportunities and reduce trade barriers.
Lavish Reception
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Washington on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 for an official working visit. Upon his arrival to the White House, President Trump received the Crown Prince with a warm personal welcome.
The reception ceremony was full of pomp and pageantry, including a red carpet, a military band, and firing cannons. It also featured a Cavalry Guard parade and a military flyover by a formation of F-35 and F-16 fighter jets.
