The announcement came during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington, where both sides unveiled sweeping military, nuclear and investment deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

The designation grants Riyadh expanded access to U.S. defense cooperation, marking a major policy shift with regional implications for Israel’s “qualitative military edge.”

Major Ally Status Announced At White House

President Donald Trump revealed the major non-NATO ally designation during a black-tie dinner, calling it “very important to them” and saying it would take cooperation “to even greater heights.” The status offers military and economic privileges without a U.S. security guarantee.

The move followed the signing of a U.S.–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement that the White House said “fortifies deterrence across the Middle East” and eases U.S. defense-sector operations in the kingdom. Officials also said the pact secures new Saudi burden-sharing funds to reduce American costs.

F-35 Jets And Large-Scale Arms Purchases

Washington approved future deliveries of F-35s, with Saudi Arabia having requested 48 aircraft, alongside a commitment to buy 300 U.S. tanks. The crown prince pledged nearly $1 trillion in investments in the United States, up from $600 billion.

A U.S. Treasury secretary interview underscored the administration’s backing, calling Saudi Arabia a “valuable ally” and highlighting its support during the recent 12-day war with Iran. Trump said both Israel and Saudi Arabia “should get top of the line,” despite Israeli concerns over maintaining its statutory military edge.

Nuclear Cooperation And Regional Conditions

Washington and Riyadh signed a joint declaration completing negotiations on civil nuclear energy cooperation, establishing a legal foundation for a long-term partnership under non-proliferation rules.

Saudi officials reiterated they would join the Abraham Accords only after securing a “clear path” to a two-state solution. Trump said the two sides had held “a very good talk” on the matter, while Israeli officials indicated they could accept Saudi F-35s under conditions tied to normalization.