The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a historic $142 billion arms deal today (Tuesday), during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East. The agreement, signed in Riyadh, marks the largest weapons deal ever between the two countries and includes broad defense sales spanning advanced attack and defense systems.
Saudi Arabia to invest approximately $600 billion
As part of a broader package of agreements, Saudi Arabia is expected to invest around $600 billion in the United States across defense, energy, and mining sectors. Trump, welcomed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, described the move as a strategic effort to strengthen economic ties between the nations.
In addition, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is planning to purchase 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in a deal worth roughly $1.5 billion. The transaction will be carried out through the leasing company AviLease, as part of the kingdom’s push to expand its commercial aviation infrastructure and establish itself as a global logistics hub.
Boeing headquarters | Photo: Shutterstock
According to Bloomberg, the U.S. also intends to allow Saudi Arabia access to advanced semiconductors from companies such as Nvidia and AMD. This move is expected to enhance the capabilities of Saudi data centers and bolster its position in the field of artificial intelligence, despite concerns raised by some American officials about Saudi ties with China.
Trump, accompanied by a business delegation that includes Elon Musk and other senior executives, will continue his Middle East tour with a visit to Qatar later this week. The primary focus of the trip is to boost trade and investment ties worth trillions of dollars, with the Gulf states serving as key economic partners in these efforts.
