Trump Sells $100 Billion Arms Deal to Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON DC, THURSDAY – The United States is one step closer to selling a $100 billion arms package to Saudi Arabia. In addition, the U.S. is still offering nuclear technology development on the condition of Saudi Arabia's recognition of Israel.

In a report by Reuters on Thursday (24/4/2025), President Donald Trump, ahead of his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia in early May, offered to sell arms to the oil-rich nation. This move is believed to be aimed at halting Saudi Arabia's cooperation with China and Russia.

Previously, in a report by Newsweek dated April 15, 2025, it was mentioned that the negotiation process for the cooperation in the construction of a U.S. nuclear reactor in Saudi Arabia and the opening of Saudi investments in the U.S. for the nuclear sector is currently being discussed by officials from both countries.

The White House, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), and the Saudi communication office have not responded to requests for comment from Reuters. During the first term of Donald Trump's administration, he claimed that arms sales to Saudi Arabia were a great success and created job opportunities in the United States.

Several industries that received orders for weapons and supporting equipment include Lockheed Martin, which supplies the latest variant of the C-130 transport aircraft, including missiles and radar.

A source stated that other suppliers include RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies), Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, and General Atomics. So far, Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop, and General Atomics have all declined to comment. Meanwhile, Boeing has not responded to Reuters regarding plans for the sale of weapons and strategic technology.

Three sources quoted by Reuters News Agency stated that executives from the arms company were also said to be part of Trump's delegation during his visit to Saudi Arabia. It is not yet known what new contracts are involved in the arms sales. Some of the agreements are known to be a continuation of ongoing projects, according to two sources.

For example, a source stated that since 2018, Saudi Arabia has been inquiring about data regarding drones manufactured by General Atomics. In the past year, discussions have been ongoing regarding a contract for the procurement of a package of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones produced by General Atomics, valued at 20 billion US dollars.

The United States has long supplied weapons to Saudi Arabia. These weapons have also been used in the Saudi Coalition War against Yemen. In 2017, the Trump Administration agreed to sell weapons worth 110 billion US dollars to Saudi Arabia. By 2018, weaponry valued at 14.5 billion US dollars from the United States had flowed to Saudi Arabia.

However, at that time, the U.S. Congress began to question the case of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi intelligence. In the U.S. government system, large-scale arms sales must be overseen by the U.S. Congress before receiving approval.

Subsequently, in 2021, the Biden Administration suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia due to the case. In addition, the United States also pressured Riyadh regarding the Yemen War, which has caused significant casualties among civilians.

The Biden administration has begun to soften its stance towards Saudi Arabia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as it impacted global oil and gas supplies. The ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia was lifted in 2024, particularly after the United States collaborated with Saudi Arabia following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The White House policy was taken to implement the post-war Gaza scenario.

Regarding the latest sales plan, there is also the possibility of selling F-35 fighter jets. According to sources, the sale of the stealth-capable aircraft will be discussed during Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia later.

However, they added that the likelihood of reaching an agreement on the sale of F-35s in this meeting is low. The obstacle is that the United States has promised that Israel, as a key ally in the region, will receive weapons of better quality than those supplied to Arab countries. This superiority of Israel is referred to as the Qualitative Military Edge (QME) policy.

Israel has been operating the F-35 for nine years with several squadrons. Unlike Japan and South Korea, Israel is free to operate the F-35 at any time and is not subject to the daily password upgrade requirement. Other F-35 operators, such as Japan and South Korea, must request permission from the United States for F-35 operations.

Nuclear Cooperation

Another sensitive issue is nuclear energy for Saudi Arabia. Last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright flew to Riyadh to negotiate energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

Nuclear cooperation can support the Saudi Arabian Government's Vision 2030, which aims to diversify energy sources, moving away from oil and gas. If cooperation is achieved, various American companies could assist in the development of nuclear technology in Saudi Arabia and also open the door for Saudi investments in uranium enrichment in the United States.

According to the Wilson Center research institution in the United States, nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia will strengthen partnerships while also curbing the growing relationships with China and Russia in the Gulf region.

Senior Brookings researcher, Robert Einhorn, in a 2024 report stated that Saudi investments in the United States in the field of uranium will reduce the United States' dependence on uranium supplies from Russia.

Reuters, in January 2025, reported that the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, stated that his country's nuclear program is aimed at processing and selling uranium-based energy by producing yellowcake, which is a nuclear fuel.

Regarding the development of nuclear-based energy, Saudi Arabia has pledged to comply with international regulations and adhere to the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). During President Joe Biden's administration, the United States has indeed encouraged nuclear cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia with the stipulation that it will not be developed for nuclear weapons and accompanied by Saudi Arabia's recognition of Israel. However, Saudi Arabia emphasizes that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel without the implementation of peace and a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

The leader of the Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid, urged the United States on his X account to ensure that nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia does not create opportunities for uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)