Trump Elevates US–Saudi Military Ties, Moves to Designate Kingdom as Major Non-NATO Ally
In a significant move aimed at strengthening Washington’s strategic alignment with Riyadh, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the United States will designate Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a status that underscores deepening military and security cooperation between the two nations.
The declaration came during a black-tie dinner at the White House, where Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
While the designation carries more symbolic weight than binding commitments, it does open doors to enhanced defence collaboration, priority access to certain American military technologies, and increased security coordination, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has previously indicated that Saudi Arabia would acquire F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets as part of a broader US security package.
Addressing the gathering, Trump said, “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 — something that is very important to them.”
Saudi Arabia will join a select group of nations that hold this status, including Australia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and New Zealand.
Though the designation does not grant the defence guarantees offered to full NATO members—most notably the protections under Article 5—it does redefine how the US military engages with these countries, the State Department noted.
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