Trump Backs Riyadh’s F-35 Request

Trump’s Remarks

President Donald Trump said Monday he is “considering approving” a sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, speaking roughly 24 hours before the crown prince’s planned White House visit.

Asked directly whether he would authorize the transfer, Trump replied, “I will say that we will be doing that. We’ll be selling F-35s.”

The comments followed his statement Friday that Riyadh had expressed “strong interest” in acquiring the advanced aircraft, which U.S. officials have described as a long-standing Saudi request.

Trump said Saudi officials “wanna buy a lot of jets,” adding that they asked him to review a potential package involving “a lot of ‘35,’ but they want to buy actually more than that fighter jets.”

His phrasing indicated discussions that encompass the F-35 and additional combat aircraft, though he did not specify quantities.

The F-35 Fighter Jet

The F-35 program, built around the F135 engine and advanced sensor fusion, has been exported to more than a dozen partners under strict U.S. export controls since its initial operational capability in 2015.

Bloomberg reported—citing an unnamed administration official—that Trump and the crown prince are expected to reach an agreement enabling Saudi Arabia to purchase the F-35 during the visit.