Saudi Gazette report

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that Washington will proceed with the sale of American-made F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, one day before Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman arrives in the United States for an official working visit.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: “We will do it. We will sell the F-35s. They have been a great ally.”

Trump and the Crown Prince are scheduled to meet at the White House on Tuesday.

According to Reuters, completing the deal would represent a significant policy shift that could reshape the military balance in the Middle East and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s deterrence capabilities.

The agency reported that Riyadh has requested the purchase of up to 48 F-35 jets in a multi-billion-dollar agreement.

Reuters also noted that the deal recently passed a key hurdle within the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon), paving the way for progress ahead of the Crown Prince’s visit.

Following Trump’s remarks, shares of Lockheed Martin — the manufacturer of the F-35 — rose 1.1%.