Latest Breaking News

demmiblue

(38,954 posts) Mon Nov 17, 2025, 03:44 PM 5 hrs ago

Trump says he will sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia on eve of crown prince's Washington visit

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he will sell F-35 advanced fighter jets to Saudi Arabia on the eve of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Washington visit, as he praised the kingdom for its long partnership with the United States.

“I will say that that we will be doing that,” Trump said when asked if he would sell the jets to Saudi Arabia. “We’ll be selling F-35s.”

The crown prince, who is set to make a White House visit Tuesday, had been expected to arrive with a wish list that includes receiving formal assurances from Trump defining the scope of the U.S. military protection for the kingdom and an agreement to buy U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, one of the world’s most advanced aircraft.

The Republican administration, however, has been wary about upsetting Israel’s “qualitative military advantage” over its neighbors, especially at a time when Trump is depending on Israeli support for the success of his Gaza peace plan.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-crown-prince-f35-77edbfa2f257805d43a501cd4808648a

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Trump says he will sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia on eve of crown prince's Washington visit (Original Post) demmiblue 5 hrs ago OP

Prince "Bone-saw" is coming to town... wcmagumba 5 hrs ago #1

So they can fly them into our buildings? ZZenith 5 hrs ago #2

My very first thought as well! bluestarone 5 hrs ago #3

Weren't the 9/11 hijackers Saudi Arabian Bobstandard 5 hrs ago #4

MaddowBlog-Foreign governments have figured out how to receive favorable treatment from Trump LetMyPeopleVote 5 hrs ago #5

Make SAGA purr-rat beauty 5 hrs ago #6

The man has his reasons BeyondGeography 5 hrs ago #7

Good luck, Bibi, getting the Saudis to keep their word on "normalizing" relations with Israel. ancianita 4 hrs ago #8

Well golly gee Sgt Carter that seems like a lot of money...... twodogsbarking 1 hr ago #9

wcmagumba

(5,174 posts)

1. Prince "Bone-saw" is coming to town...

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 03:49 PM

5 hrs ago

Not any kind of I want to know...He's a violent sick individual with too much power, reminds me of Hmmm...

ZZenith

(4,438 posts)

2. So they can fly them into our buildings?

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 03:51 PM

5 hrs ago

bluestarone

(20,796 posts)

3. My very first thought as well!

Reply to ZZenith (Reply #2)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 03:56 PM

5 hrs ago

Bobstandard

(2,105 posts)

4. Weren't the 9/11 hijackers Saudi Arabian

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 03:59 PM

5 hrs ago

15 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi. Saudis bankrolled Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is simply a cutout for Saudi Arabia. Too obvious.

LetMyPeopleVote

(172,757 posts)

5. MaddowBlog-Foreign governments have figured out how to receive favorable treatment from Trump

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 04:00 PM

5 hrs ago

The White House’s recent interactions with Pakistan, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia offer a case study in how U.S. foreign policy is not supposed to work.

www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— Rachel Maddow (@maddow.bsky.social) 2025-11-17T19:29:00.412Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/foreign-governments-figured-receive-favorable-treatment-trump-rcna244414

And one day after the Axios report ran, The New York Times published a related report about the American president’s relationship with yet another foreign country:

The Trump Organization is in talks that could bring a Trump-branded property to one of Saudi Arabia’s largest government-owned real estate developments, according to the chief executive of the Saudi company leading the development. The negotiations are the latest example of President Trump blending governance and family business, particularly in Persian Gulf countries. … Mr. Trump is set to host Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, in Washington next week.

A related Washington Post report noted that the Saudi crown prince is poised to be rewarded with a black-tie dinner in the White House’s East Room on Nov. 18. The gathering “will have all the trappings of a state visit and wrap a packed day of programming at the White House surrounding Mohammed’s trip, including a meeting with Trump. Members of Congress, administration officials and U.S. business leaders have been invited.”.....

The Times’ report concluded, “That sets up a scenario in which Mr. Trump discusses matters of national security with a foreign leader who is also a key figure in a potential business deal with the president’s family.”

The broader dynamic isn’t altogether new. Qatar, for example, rewarded Trump with a luxury jet and soon after reaped the rewards. Just last month, the American president was caught on a hot mic having an interesting chat with the president of Indonesia, where the Trump organization is building a golf resort.

The point, however, isn’t that the problem is new; the point is the problem seems to be getting worse. Foreign governments are learning how to receive favorable treatment from the Republican White House, through flattery, gifts, lobbying, private business deals or some combination thereof.

purr-rat beauty

(843 posts)

6. Make SAGA

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 04:11 PM

5 hrs ago

He thinks this place is for sale

BeyondGeography

(40,742 posts)

7. The man has his reasons

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 04:25 PM

5 hrs ago

https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-organization-said-close-to-joining-major-saudi-owned-real-estate-project/amp/

ancianita

(42,586 posts)

8. Good luck, Bibi, getting the Saudis to keep their word on "normalizing" relations with Israel.

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 04:49 PM

4 hrs ago

The felon has no loyalties when it comes to making a buck.

twodogsbarking

(16,790 posts)

9. Well golly gee Sgt Carter that seems like a lot of money......

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Nov 17, 2025, 07:47 PM

1 hr ago

The F-35 program's development began in the 1990s, and it has taken over 20 years to reach its current stage, with full-rate production approval still pending as of early 2024. The estimated lifetime cost for the F-35 program is approximately $1.7 trillion to $2.1 trillion, which includes a large portion for sustainment over its 94-year life cycle. Per-aircraft acquisition costs vary by variant, with the F-35A costing around $80-90 million, the F-35B around $120-130 million, and the F-35C around $100-110 million.

Reply to this discussion