US signals readiness to approve F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he intends to move forward with selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, just a day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House.
Asked by reporters whether he planned to authorize the sale, Trump replied, “I will say that we will be doing that. We’ll be selling F-35s.” He added that Riyadh has expressed strong interest in acquiring the advanced Lockheed Martin aircraft, noting, “They want to buy a lot of jets… they’ve asked me to look at it.”
Several US media outlets reported that Trump is leaning toward backing the deal. According to Bloomberg, citing an administration official, Trump and the crown prince are expected to finalize an agreement during the visit.
The package would reportedly include approval for the F-35 purchase as well as additional economic and defense deals, including a liquefied natural gas arrangement.
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