WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has on Tuesday announced that the US will formally designate Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally, marking a significant elevation in defense ties between Washington and the Kingdom.
He revealed the decision during a black-tie White House dinner honoring Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally — something that is very important to them,” Trump said.
“And I’m telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” he added.
The new status paves the way for deeper military cooperation and carries strong symbolic weight, with Trump saying it will advance U.S.–Saudi defense coordination “to even greater heights.”
