Trump Says "We Will Sell the F-35 to Saudi Arabia" Ahead of Meeting with Bin Salman

Bloomberg: "U.S. Likely to Limit F-35 Capabilities"

President Donald Trump of the United States has announced plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Some observers have raised concerns that this move could weaken Israel’s military superiority in the Middle East and lead to the leakage of technology to China.

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by AP Yonhap News

On November 17 (local time), President Trump was asked by reporters at the White House about the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. He responded, "That is what we are trying to do," and added, "We are going to sell the F-35."

President Trump is scheduled to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia at the White House on November 18. The Trump administration and Saudi Arabia are in the final stages of negotiating a deal to sell 48 F-35 fighter jets worth several billion dollars, which has already passed a major review by the Department of Defense. In addition, it has been reported that Crown Prince bin Salman aims to use this visit to the United States as an opportunity to conclude a defense agreement that would define the scope of U.S. military protection for Saudi Arabia.

Some voices in the United States have expressed concerns that selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia could undermine Israel’s military superiority or result in technology leaking to China. Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East that possesses F-35 fighter jets and used them during airstrikes on Iran in October of last year and June of this year.

Bloomberg News reported, "While Saudi Arabia considers the United States its most important ally, it is also deepening its ties with China, which is the United States’ main geopolitical rival." The report noted that "for this reason, some U.S. officials are concerned that China could gain access to America’s most advanced military systems." It also added, "The F-35 fighter jets sold to Saudi Arabia are likely to be equipped with software that is less capable than what the U.S. military currently uses."

As the world’s largest oil producer and a key customer in the defense industry, Saudi Arabia has long been a strategic partner of the United States. However, relations became strained following the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. When Crown Prince bin Salman was identified as being behind the incident, President Trump defended him, saying, "I want to believe him" and "Saudi Arabia is an important partner." After being re-inaugurated earlier this year, President Trump chose Saudi Arabia as one of his first overseas destinations, signaling an attempt to improve bilateral relations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.