Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s recent trip to the United States proved highly productive. Both countries finalised several big agreements, including the sale of F-35 fighter jets and a long-term nuclear cooperation plan.

The visit highlighted the importance of the partnership between the world’s largest economy and the top oil exporter — a relationship President Donald Trump has prioritised in his second term.

This was Salman’s first trip to the US since 2018, the year journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. It played a key role in bringing the two nations closer again. While former President Joe Biden went to Saudi Arabia and met the prince, he did not host him at the White House. Trump changed that approach.

Key Deals Signed During the Visit

Civil Nuclear Energy Agreement

The US and Saudi Arabia signed a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy. According to the White House, this agreement “builds the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar nuclear energy partnership” and follows “strong nonproliferation standards.”
Both sides described it as a major step toward long-term nuclear cooperation.

F-35 Fighter Jet Sale

Another major outcome was the agreement to sell advanced F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia. This marks one of the most significant US defense sales to the kingdom in recent years.

Strategic Defense Agreement

The two governments also concluded a new Strategic Defense Agreement. The White House said the pact “fortifies deterrence across the Middle East.”

However, it provided only limited details. The deal appears to fall short of the NATO-style security guarantee Saudi Arabia originally requested from Trump.

Investment Pledge

Mohammad Bin Salman sat beside Trump during their meeting and made a major financial commitment. He said Saudi Arabia would raise its investment in the US to $1 trillion, compared to the $600 billion pledge made when Trump visited the kingdom in 2017. He did not give a timeline or further details.

Trump Names Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally

Trump held a gala dinner for the crown prince, attended by several prominent names, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Elon Musk. During the event, Trump made a high-profile announcement. He said the US would formally recognise Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.

“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,” he added. Only 19 other countries hold this status.