U.S. Marine Corps F-35 fighter jets are parked on the tarmac at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, November 1, 2025. REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trumpsaid on Friday that he is considering agreeing to a deal to supply Saudi Arabia with F-35 stealth fighter jets, which are made by Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) , opens new tab.
“They wanna buy a lot of jets,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“I’m looking at that. They’ve asked me to look at it. They want to buy a lot of ’35’ – but they want to buy actually more than that, fighter jets.”
The potential sale comes as Trump plans to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House next week, when they are expected to sign economic and defense agreements.
Asked about the talks, Trump told reporters it was “more than meeting, we’re honoring” Saudi Arabia.
He repeated that he hoped Saudi would soon join the Abraham Accords, which have normalized relations between Israel and Muslim-majority nations. Riyadh has resisted such a step absent agreement on a roadmap to Palestinian statehood.
A Pentagon intelligence report has raised concerns over the potential F-35 deal, warning that China could acquire the aircraft’s technology if the sale proceeds, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the assessment.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Suggested Topics:
Read Next
ago World category
ago World category
The United States and Switzerland announced a framework trade agreement on Friday that includes Washington slashing its tariffs on imported Swiss products to 15% from 39% and a pledge by Swiss companies to invest $200 billion in the U.S. by the end of 2028.
Site Index
About Reuters
Stay Informed
Information you can trust
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.