Trump says U.S. intends to sell F-35 jet fighters to Saudi Arabia

President Trump said Monday that the U.S. would sell advanced F-35 jet fighters to Saudi Arabia, announcing his decision the day before he meets at the White House with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

- Michael R.Gordon & Alexander Ward

“We will be doing that. We will be selling F-35s,” Trump told reporters, who didn’t provide any specifics about the deal.

Trump's willingness to sell the stealthy fighters is a clear signal that Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, has been rehabilitated in the eyes of the White House despite the kingdom’s role in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

But the looming deal has spurred concerns that an unconditional sale of the cutting-edge U.S. weapon system could erode Israel’s military advantage in the Middle East and reduce Washington’s leverage to encourage Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations, a step that diplomats in the region say isn’t imminent.

“Having these things end up in the Saudi air force several years hence without normalization would be a misuse of American leverage,” said John Hannah of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, a onetime adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney.

The Israeli Air Force is equipped with the F-35, which it has used to strike targets in Iran and other targets in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia will become the only other Middle Eastern country to have the jet fighter once deliveries are made. The U.S. has a longstanding policy, which is codified in law, to maintain Israel's “qualitative military edge” over other Middle East countries.

“Americans can expect more good deals for our country spanning technology, manufacturing, critical minerals, defense, and more,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly, of the Saudi leader's White House visit.

Trump didn’t address whether the eventual delivery of F-35s might be linked to an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel on establishing diplomatic ties, a longstanding US. goal.