Trump clears F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia; finalizes deals on nuclear energy, minerals

Washington: US President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, with both sides signing agreements on nuclear energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

According to the White House statement, they signed deals on civil nuclear energy, a critical minerals framework and an AI Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Both leaders also inked a US-Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement (SDA), with Trump approving the sale of F-35 jets and tanks.

It was the crown prince’s first visit to the White House in seven years and was marked by full ceremonial honours, including a military guard, and a flyover by US aircraft.

Trump, welcoming the crown prince, described him as “an extremely respected” figure and highlighted their longstanding personal ties.

During their remarks, Prince Mohammed outlined plans to boost Saudi investment in the United States from a projected $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion.

He framed the increase as a strategic commitment to US growth, pointing to expanding demand for computing power and advanced chips within the kingdom.

“We believe in the future of America,” he noted, calling the opportunities “real” and commercially driven. Trump responded that the United States “appreciates it very much.”

Addressing questions about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump reiterated his view that the crown prince had no role in the incident.

Prince Mohammed called the killing “painful” for Saudi Arabia and described it as a “huge mistake,” adding that his government has strengthened procedures to prevent a repeat. He emphasised that the kingdom had taken steps it views as corrective and necessary.

On regional diplomacy, the crown prince confirmed that Saudi Arabia is interested in joining the Abraham Accords and establishing formal ties with Israel. He underscored, however, that Riyadh requires what it considers a “clear path toward a two-state solution” before advancing.

On Wednesday, the two leaders will attend a US-Saudi investment forum in Washington.

IANS