Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince, Approves F-35 Sale and Names Major Ally

President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday with a military flyover and a black-tie dinner, approving the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and announcing agreements on defense, nuclear energy and investment, according to CBS News, NBC News and Al Jazeera.

The arrival ceremony, CBS News reported, included a flyover by F-35 and F-16 jets, cannons, horses and a red carpet. CBS News said the display was more typical of a visit from an allied Western democracy than from an absolute monarchy with a troubled human rights record. In the Oval Office the crown prince said Saudi Arabia would raise a planned $600 billion investment in the United States to closer to $1 trillion, CBS News reported; NBC News and Al Jazeera also reported the near-$1 trillion figure.

On the F-35s, Mr. Trump said he would approve the sale, NBC News and CBS News reported; NBC added that analysts noted a similar deal with the United Arab Emirates fell through, so a sale may not come soon. At the dinner he announced he was designating Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, CBS News, NBC News and Al Jazeera reported. NBC and Al Jazeera said the status brings military and economic privileges but no security commitment. CBS and Al Jazeera reported that the two countries signed a strategic defense agreement, that the White House said Saudi Arabia would buy hundreds of American tanks and fighter jets, and that they would partner on civil nuclear energy. A senior official told NBC News ahead of the visit that deals were expected on AI infrastructure investment, civil nuclear energy and the $600 billion pledge.

The talks also touched on Israel. A White House official told NBC News that normalizing Saudi-Israeli relations would be a key part of the talks and that Mr. Trump “hopes” the kingdom will join the Abraham Accords, though analysts were skeptical of a near-term breakthrough. CBS News reported that the crown prince says he wants to join but needs a path toward a Palestinian state.

The visit is the crown prince’s first to the United States since Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and critic, was killed in 2018, CBS News and NBC News reported. U.S. intelligence concluded that the crown prince approved the killing, CBS and NBC reported. He has denied involvement. Mr. Trump said the crown prince “knew nothing” about it, according to CBS News and NBC News.

Mr. Trump called the crown prince a “very good friend” and said he was proud of his record on human rights, CBS News and NBC News reported.

Critics raised ethics questions. NBC News said critics have raised concerns about Mr. Trump’s family business ties to Saudi Arabia, and quoted Andrew Leber of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as saying there were “massive ethical questions.”

Supporters of the approach argue that Saudi Arabia is a critical security and economic partner in a turbulent region.