BAF NEWS

Here’s the twist: the F‑35 is back at the center of U.S.–Saudi dealmaking.

Trump Announces F‑35 Sale to Saudi Arabia

Trump said it plainly: “We’ll be selling the F‑35s.” He repeated, “We will be doing that. We’ll be selling F‑35s,” a day before hosting Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. Reuters, AP, and Bloomberg reported the remarks on Nov. 17, 18, 2025. Reuters added the timing: the comments came on the eve of the crown prince’s arrival. AP underscored the political stakes and the technology sensitivities. Bloomberg noted Trump called Saudi Arabia a “great ally.”

Details of the F‑35 Deal

Riyadh has asked to buy as many as 48 F‑35s, according to Reuters. The package would be multibillion‑dollar in scale and central to the week’s agenda. Moreover, the prospective sale has already cleared a key Pentagon hurdle, Reuters reported.

You might be surprised that this is not a routine transaction. Instead, it is a carefully staged piece of diplomacy tied to broader security and tech deals.

Policy Shift and Strategic Implications

If approved, this would be the first U.S. sale of F‑35s to Saudi Arabia. That alone marks a significant policy shift, multiple outlets note. However, it also tests Washington’s pledge to maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge, or QME. Therefore, the sale will likely draw pushback and amendments on Capitol Hill. AP also notes officials are focused on safeguarding sensitive technology from China.

What no one is mentioning: QME debates rarely stop at aircraft counts. They also touch basing, training, munitions stockpiles, and software access. Consequently, expect lengthy negotiations over configuration and end‑use assurances.

Significance of MBS’s White House Visit

Monday’s meeting is MBS’s first U.S. visit since 2018. The White House has planned an elaborate, ceremonial welcome. Reuters and the Washington Post say the moment signals a reset in relations. Yet the optics are doing heavy lifting. The pageantry reinforces a message of restored ties and shared interests.

Still, substance matters more than the South Lawn visuals. The F‑35 headline frames the visit as security‑first. But the real story stretches into energy, technology, and investment.

Broader U.S.–Saudi Agreements Expected

Officials are preparing announcements on civil nuclear cooperation and Saudi investments in U.S. AI infrastructure. Reuters and AP describe a “multibillion‑dollar” AI buildout and new nuclear energy steps. Additionally, Trump aims to build on a prior $600 billion Saudi investment pledge made during his May trip, Reuters reports. The Financial Times and the Washington Post likewise flag a wide package touching defense, AI, and critical minerals.

Consequently, the visit’s economic layer is just as strategic as the airpower headline. Data centers, chips, uranium supply chains, these are the new commanding heights. Moreover, investment agreements can lock in partnerships for decades, outlasting any single arms deal.

Normalization with Israel Remains Elusive

Trump will push Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, Reuters and the Washington Post report. However, Riyadh has long tied normalization to a credible path toward Palestinian statehood. Therefore, an imminent breakthrough appears unlikely, according to available reporting. The current dynamic suggests incremental steps at best.

Still, the F‑35 move will be read in Israel, Tehran, and beyond. It signals a U.S. willingness to deepen defense ties with Riyadh despite the political crosswinds. Yet any aircraft sale will still take years to deliver, train, and integrate. Timelines temper drama.

The bottom line

Trump’s statement reset expectations for this visit. It put the most advanced U.S. exportable fighter at the center of the stage. But the bigger arc is about tech power and alliance structure. Consequently, watch the conditions attached to the jets, the scope of nuclear cooperation, and the real dollars behind AI infrastructure. Those details will show what changes, and what doesn’t, in U.S.–Saudi relations.

According to AP, Congress and U.S. agencies will scrutinize the deal’s security safeguards. Reuters adds that QME will be front and center in those reviews. Meanwhile, officials on both sides want a win to headline this week. Whether they get one depends on the fine print, not the flyover.