Two US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets participate in exercises at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, in February 2020. The Trump administration has approved a sale of the F-35 to Saudi Arabia, but further obstacles could prevent its closure. (US Air Force/Senior Airman Giovanni Sims)
Trump Administration Approves F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia, Despite Concerns
Some US lawmakers have objected to the deal, reasoning that Chinese telecommunications equipment in Saudi Arabia could be used to study the aircraft and compromise its stealth features.
United States President Donald Trump has touted himself as a master dealmaker, but critics are warning that his latest deal could compromise the security of the United States military’s most advanced operational aircraft.
The Trump administration approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of nearly 50 F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, as part of an effort to increase the capabilities of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) as it is being dragged into renewed fighting with the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The news of the deal comes shortly after reports that the Houthis had downed an RSAF F-15SA, an advanced variant of the US Air Force’s F-15 Eagle.
Trump Wants to Sell Four Dozen F-35s to the RSAF
Under the terms of the deal, Riyadh could acquire 48 of the Lockheed Martin aircraft, along with spare Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, other spare parts, training, and maintenance support.
“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces, and other regional and NATO forces. The proposed sale will also augment Saudi Arabia’s operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces,” the US State Department announced in a media statement on Thursday.
“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the military balance in the region,” the State Department added—a nod to the requirement that Middle East arms sales not jeopardize Israel’s “qualitative military edge” (QME) over its neighbors, a concept enshrined in US law.
Trump Says Yes to Saudi F-35s—Congress May Say No
The deal may face an uphill battle on Capitol Hill, as Congressional lawmakers have 30 days to scrutinize the deal, and could even attempt to block it. Indeed, some have already expressed concerns, citing the presence of Chinese telecommunications equipment inside Saudi Arabia that could detect vital characteristics about the plane—helping Beijing to identify and target the same aircraft in the Indo-Pacific.
“The Trump Administration should not move forward with its proposed sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia when our own intelligence community is warning that it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), formerly the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote in a post on X.
“Beijing has spent decades stealing American intellectual property and technology to close the gap with the United States, and we must not help them do it,” Krishnamoorthi added. “We must not sell our most advanced fighter jet anywhere the CCP may be able to get its hands on the technology inside it.”
The Department of Defense’s intelligence agency issued a report last year that warned of Chinese access to Saudi Arabia, as well as the Kingdom’s use of Chinese technology. There have been similar concerns about Beijing’s growing influence with the United Arab Emirates, which led to Washington effectively blocking any sale to the Gulf nation. The effective refusal to sell the F-35 has led the UAE to look to the Chinese J-20 Mighty Dragon instead.
Israel Isn’t Happy About the F-35 Sale, Either
News of the deal was also met with apprehension in Israel, which is currently the only operator of the F-35 Lightning II in the Middle East. If the proposed deal goes through, Saudi Arabia would operate 48 F-35s—putting it on equal footing with Israel, which currently has 48 F-35I Adir aircraft. (Israel is expected to receive two more by the end of the year.)
The Israeli military did sign a deal in 2025 valued at $3 billion for an additional 25 jets, with the aircraft to begin arriving in 2028. Long-term plans call for up to 100 of the fifth-generation stealth aircraft to be acquired for the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
Yet, already some in the Jewish state are calling for “compensation” from Washington to maintain Israel’s QME, which could come in the form of other weapons systems that the US has so far refused to sell to Israel. The United States generally has fulfilled Israel’s major military hardware requests, but it has historically declined or placed strict limits on specific cutting-edge, strategic, or sensitive categories.
It is unclear what weapon systems Israel may push up or what it could entail. Still, there is speculation it might be ultra-heavy bunker-busting systems engineered to collapse subterranean installations buried deep inside complex rocky mountain ranges, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Israel has previously suggested that any F-35 sale to Riyadh should be linked to Saudi Arabia’s agreement to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia is one of many Arab nations that have never recognized Israel, and while other Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, established relations with Israel under the 2020 “Abraham Accords,” Riyadh has refused to do so, insisting Israel make progress on Palestinian statehood first.
The question is whether Trump’s deal-making skills can ensure both of America’s Middle Eastern allies walk away happy.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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