Trump added that the move had been kept confidential until the event, saying, “I’m just telling you for the first time because I wanted to keep a little secret for tonight.” The agreement marks the latest development in a series of diplomatic engagements between Washington and Riyadh during the crown prince’s visit.
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“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we are taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.” – PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/5tOxIlwdV2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 19, 2025
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump and bin Salman confirmed that Saudi Arabia would invest $1 trillion in the United States. Administration officials also indicated that an agreement enabling the export of semiconductor chips to Saudi Arabia could be finalised within days.
Trump further suggested that a civil nuclear cooperation deal between the two countries may be feasible in the future. However, the intensifying partnership has attracted criticism, as the crown prince’s visit marks his first return to Washington since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which the CIA concluded he likely ordered.
Saudi Arabia continues to face scrutiny over human rights concerns and longstanding questions about possible links to the 11 September 2001 attacks. Trump defended bin Salman when questioned by reporters, accusing an ABC News journalist of “embarrassing our guests.”
The crown prince responded to one of the concerns raised, saying he feels “pain about the families of 9/11 in America.”
Source: The Hill.
