Nov. 19 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that he was formally designating Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, as he seeks to deepen relations, both militarily and economically, with the Islamic kingdom.
"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, which is something that is very important to them," Trump said during his opening remarks at a state dinner held for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia at the East Room of the White House. It was filled with long tables lit by candlelight and decorated with white flowers.
In attendance were the wealthy and influential, including Appel CEO Tim Cook, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk, General Motors head Mary Barra, international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and entrepreneur and investor David Sacks.
The announcement during the black-tie event followed the two leaders signing a number of agreements earlier in the day, including what Trump called a "historic strategic defense agreement."
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