President Trump said Tuesday evening that he has formally designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, aiming to deepen military cooperation between the two nations.
The big picture: The announcement follows Trump's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (earlier on Tuesday, when MBS pledged to up Riyadh investments in the U.S. from $600 billion to $1 trillion.
- Trump also revealed earlier this week that he will sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia — making it the first country in the Middle East other than Israel to obtain the aircraft.
State of play: The U.S. currently has 19 major non-NATO allies, including several countries in the Middle East, per a State Department post.
- Taiwan is treated as an ally but does not hold the same formal designation, according to the post.
What they're saying: "A stronger and more capable alliance will advance the interests of both countries, and it will serve the highest interest of peace," Trump said during the Tuesday evening dinner with MBS.
- "I'm just telling you now for the first time, because I wanted to keep a little secret for tonight," the president said, adding that the two signed a "historic strategic defense agreement" earlier in the day.
Of note: During his meeting with the Saudi crown prince, Trump said "a lot of people didn't like" journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whom the U.S. has alleged MBS was responsible for killing.
Go deeper: Saudi Arabia wants to buy nearly 300 U.S. tanks, White House says
Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.
