# Trump approves F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia

> The US is selling nearly 50 advanced fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a major policy shift that has alarmed Congress and defence officials.
- Title: Trump approves F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia · BBC News | Shortify
- Summary: The US is selling nearly 50 advanced fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a major policy shift that has alarmed Congress and defence officials. The F-35…
- Keywords: donald trump, saudi arabia, f-35, arms sale, israel, congress, lockheed martin, mohammed bin salman, military technology, middle east, china, news
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3x2zrn01pxko
- Published: 2026-09-18T00:42:12.155+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: donald trump, saudi arabia, f-35, arms sale, israel, congress, lockheed martin, mohammed bin salman, military technology, middle east, china, news
## Trump approves historic F-35 sale
The Trump administration has approved selling nearly 50 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia for $24 billion, the largest arms deal with the kingdom in years.
## Why the US resisted for years
Washington had blocked Saudi purchases of F-35s to protect Israel's military advantage in the region, as US law guarantees Israel access to top-tier American weapons.
## Congress fears China connection
Democratic lawmakers warn Saudi Arabia could share F-35 technology with China under their security partnership, potentially exposing America's most advanced military secrets.

> it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party
## Israel's fleet will still lead
The sale would give Saudi Arabia 48 F-35s, matching Israel's current fleet of 50, but Israel is already procuring another squadron to double its fleet to 100 jets.
## Trump's Saudi ties run deep
Trump has a close relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and previously sealed a $142 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia in May 2025.
## Congress has 30 days to block
Lawmakers have a month to scrutinise the sale, though previous concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the Khashoggi murder have not stopped arms deals.
## Key takeaway

The F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia breaks with decades of US policy protecting Israel's military edge in the region, raising concerns about technology sharing with China.