President Donald Trump has extended an olive branch to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. They most recently met up on November 18, 2025. Donald Trump expressed his disinterest in the criticisms about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, which has been questioned by most. This is because in Saudi Arabia, there is a huge wealth discrepancy. Additionally, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in October 2018. In 2021, according to the BBC, U.S. intelligence indicated that Mohammed bin Salman approved the murder. However, Donald Trump was adamant that Salman did not know anything about Khashoggi’s murder.

President Trump has announced that Saudi Arabia is now a “major non-NATO ally” to America, which allows Saudi Arabia to have easier access to America’s weapons. According to the White House, President Trump said he was also giving approval to Saudi Arabia to buy over 300 high-functioning military weapons such as tanks, and this has been officially greenlit by Congress.

In short, Saudi-U.S. relations are now on better terms, despite China and Saudi Arabia being allies, which is the reason that the original jet deal during Trump’s first term did not happen. Saudi Arabia also does not appear to have any military need for those weapons other than for them to appear superior in the air.