November 18, 2025 | 08:35 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he intends to approve the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a significant shift in Washington’s longstanding policy on transferring cutting-edge weapons to Arab states.
The statement came a day before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s scheduled visit to the White House. Trump confirmed he was prepared to move forward with the deal and praised the strategic partnership between the two countries.
“Yeah, I am planning on doing it. They want to buy them. They’ve been a great ally,” Trump said.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump told reporters that he aims to authorize the sale as part of a broader effort to expand the Abraham Accords, describing Saudi Arabia as a key partner in that effort.
The F-35 is the United States’ most advanced stealth fighter jet and is currently operated in the region only by Israel.
Mixed Reactions in Israel
Israeli officials delivered mixed responses to the potential sale. Some told Axios that they would not oppose the deal as long as it is tied to full diplomatic normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
“We told the Trump administration that the supply of F-35s to Saudi Arabia needs to be subject to Saudi normalization with Israel,” one official said.
Another cautioned that providing the jets without securing diplomatic concessions would be “a mistake and counterproductive.”
However, several Israeli political figures warned of broader regional risks. Yair Golan, a former deputy chief of staff, said approving the sale could spark a regional arms race and undermine Israel’s long-held military edge.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir echoed these concerns, saying Israel must safeguard its advantage.
“We are in the Middle East – we cannot get confused. We extend a hand to anyone who truly wants to extend a hand and not harm the State of Israel, but we must preserve our superiority,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly signaled that he wants Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords “soon” and is expected to press Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the matter during their upcoming meeting.
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