WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the U.S.–Saudi Investment Forum on Wednesday, one day after welcoming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House.
Whether you have come from near or far, we’re delighted to have you invest right here in the hottest country anywhere in the world,” Trump told guests during the eventThe partnership between our two nations is among the most consequential in the entire world and together the Crown Prince and I are making an alliance stronger and more powerful than it’s ever been before,” he added.
Trump signed an agreement on Tuesday designating Saudi Arabia a non-major NATO ally, ushering in a new relationship between the U.S. and the Middle Eastern country.
That’s actually a very big deal,” Trump said during his remarks at the event, adding that it’s “a sign of great trust.”
He also said the U.S. will be selling “some of the greatest military equipment ever built,” including nearly 300 American-Made tanks.
During an Oval Office meeting, Trump and the Crown Prince discussed a series of business deals, including the sale of U.S.-made fighter jets to the Middle Eastern nation.
I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600 billion into the United States,” Trump said on Tuesday while sitting next to the Crown Prince. “And because he’s my friend, he might make it $1 trillion, but I’m going to have to work on him.
The Crown Prince later confirmed it would be upwards of $1 trillion.
Details of the F-35 deal were not immediately clear, but some in the Pentagon and other agencies have opposed the sale because of the potential for advanced technology being shared with China, which also has close ties with Saudi Arabia.
“As far as I’m concerned, I think they are both at a level where they should get top of the line,” Trump said of Saudi Arabia and Israel, which already has F-35s. “Israel’s aware and they’re going to be very happy.”
The White House said other “landmark agreements” include the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, advancements in critical minerals cooperation, and an AI Memorandum of Understanding.
“These agreements demonstrate the Trump Administration’s ‘America First’ approach, reinforcing the United States as a leader on the world stage while securing our economic future,” the White House noted in a news release.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.