MBS Visit Marks Historic US-Saudi F-35 and Nuclear Energy Deals

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed landmark agreements on civil nuclear energy and the sale of advanced US F-35 fighter jets during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington on Tuesday, the White House confirmed.

The two nations ratified a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy, establishing a legal framework for a multi-billion-dollar, decades-long partnership that adheres to strict nonproliferation standards, according to a White House statement.

In addition, President Donald Trump approved a major defense sale package, which includes future deliveries of F-35 stealth fighter jets.

Saudi Arabia has requested 48 of the advanced aircraft, which would mark the first US sale of F-35s to Riyadh—a significant policy shift.

The deal could reshape the military balance in the Middle East and test Washington’s commitment to maintaining Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” as Israel has been the only Middle Eastern country to operate F-35s until now.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pursuing access to US nuclear technology to help Saudi Arabia keep pace with regional powers like the UAE and Iran.

However, negotiations on a nuclear agreement have been challenging because Saudi Arabia has resisted a US condition that would bar uranium enrichment or reprocessing of spent fuel—both potential pathways to nuclear weapons.

President Trump has previously indicated that a civilian nuclear deal could be reached but noted that “it’s not urgent.”

Separately, Prince Harry is reportedly distancing himself from Meghan Markle in a bid to regain public favor, with recent solo appearances in New York, London, and Southern…

Major, non-NATO ally

During a formal black-tie dinner at the White House later on Tuesday, Trump also announced he was designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, as he hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a gala dinner at the White House.

“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 is very important to them,” Trump said.

“And I’m just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” Trump said of the designation, which only 19 other countries have previously received.

Earlier, Trump hailed Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman $1 trillion investment pledge as the US president laid on a lavish welcome at the White House.

Trump moved to consolidate his growing bromance with the Saudi leader, who is at the Oval Office for the first time in seven years, giving him a parade of soldiers on horseback and a military flypast featuring F-35 jets that he said Washington would soon sell to Riyadh.

Trump opened their White House meeting with praise for the prince’s “incredible” human rights record.

The heir to the throne then delighted Trump by announcing that he was increasing the $600 billion Saudi investment he promised Trump when the US president visited the country in May.

“We can announce that we are going to increase that $600 billion to almost $1 trillion for investment,” Prince Mohammed said in the Oval Office.

A grinning Trump asked him to confirm the figure, to which the Saudi royal replied: “Definitely.”

Rose Garden tour

Trump pulled out all the stops for the Saudi prince, giving him treatment normally reserved for a state visit to the White House, even though he is not a head of state.

He welcomed bin Salman who is widely known as MBS on the South Lawn of the White House as cannon fire boomed out, before they watched the noisy flypast by US military jets.

The 79-year-old Republican then showed the prince a new gallery of presidential portraits by the Rose Garden  including one portraying his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden as an autopen.

Trump has accused an ageing Biden of using the automated device to sign presidential pardons, and questioned their legality.

Later in the day, First Lady Melania Trump will hold a gala dinner.

Portugal soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays in Saudi Arabia, will also be at the White House for the gala day of events, a White House official told AFP.

The president has made a priority of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, particularly as he seeks to turn the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza into a longer-lasting regional peace.

Trump said he had pushed the prince to normalise relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords that he launched in his first term.

Prince Mohammed said he was working to do so “as soon as possible,” but insisted on securing a “clear path of two-state solution” for a Palestinian state first.