In a landmark agreement hailed as the largest arms deal in United States history, President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have signed a $142 billion defence pact on the first day of Trump’s high-profile diplomatic tour of the Middle East.
The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the deal would provide Saudi Arabia with ‘state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen US defence firms’, signalling deepening military ties between Washington and Riyadh.
The agreement, which included a letter of intent for up to $100 billion in future U. weapons purchases, was signed during a lavish ceremony in Riyadh, where President Trump was also joined by top business executives, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, for a high-level lunch hosted by Saudi officials.
“This is the largest defence sales agreement in history,” the White House said in a statement, adding that the deal would “support the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region” in the face of growing threats.
Beyond military cooperation, the two countries signed several memoranda of understanding (MoUs), covering energy, mineral resources, cooperation on space exploration, and infectious disease research. An MoU was also signed with the U. Department of Justice, though its specific terms have not yet been made public.
While the defence agreement was the headline-grabber, the flurry of MoUs signals an intent to build a broader strategic alliance. It’s important to note that these MoUs are non-binding, diplomatic instruments outlining how the parties intend to cooperate in the future.
The defence pact is expected to bolster US jobs and manufacturing, a key focus for Trump during this four-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The President sought to secure hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investments into the US economy as part of his “America First” agenda.
This visit marked Trump’s first official overseas trip since taking office for the second time and was seen as an attempt to reset relations with key allies in the Middle East, while projecting American economic and military strength.
Further details of the agreements, particularly the specifics of the military hardware to be provided, were expected to be released in the coming days.
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