At White House Dinner, Trump Designates Saudi Arabia A Major Non-NATO Ally

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would designate Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, making the announcement during a gala dinner at the White House hosted for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them,” Trump said while addressing guests at the event.

.@POTUS: “Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we are taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.” pic.twitter.com/9n4HzMmuMG

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 19, 2025

He added that the declaration

was being revealed for the first time at the prince’s request. “And I’m just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” Trump said. Only 19 countries have previously received the designation.

US, Saudi Arabia Approve Nuclear Deal, F-35 Jets Sale

During the White House dinner, the United States and Saudi Arabia finalised agreements covering civil nuclear cooperation and the sale of advanced American F-35 fighter jets, the administration said on Tuesday as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington.

According to a statement from the White House, the two sides signed a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy that “builds the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar nuclear energy partnership” while adhering to “strong nonproliferation standards.”

The administration added that President Donald Trump has also approved a “major defense sale package,” which includes the future supply of F-35 stealth aircraft to the kingdom.