US names Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally during Mohammed bin Salman visit

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received an extravagant welcome during his visit to the White House—his first in seven years. Despite not being an official head of state, bin Salman was honoured with a state dinner-style reception hosted by US President Donald Trump, complete with red carpet treatment, military flyovers, and high-profile announcements. Trump declared Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, signifying a significant deepening of US-Saudi military cooperation. This designation allows streamlined arms sales and greater defence collaboration between the two nations. The visit focused heavily on economic and military deals, with bin Salman pledging nearly $1 trillion in US investments, including $142bn for advanced F-35 fighter jets. However, the sale faced opposition from Israel’s lobby, citing laws ensuring Israel’s military superiority in the region. Discussions also touched on Saudi Arabia’s ambitions for domestic nuclear energy and Trump’s push for the kingdom to join the Abraham Accords. Bin Salman reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine before considering normalisation with Israel. This diplomatic and economic summit is set to continue at an investment forum on Wednesday.Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reports from the White House.Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile#SaudiArabia #US #UnitedStates #USSaudiRelations #DonaldTrump #MBS #MohammedBinSalman #SaudiInvestment #MajorNonNATOAlly #USSaudiTies #MBS #USForeignPolicy