US, Saudi Arabia seal $142B arms deal as President Trump kicks off Gulf tour
Strategic partnership deepens with major weapons package, investments; Trump lauds Riyadh ties and lifts sanctions on Syria
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (MNTV) — The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a $142 billion arms agreement on Saturday as President Donald Trump began a high-profile diplomatic and investment tour of the Gulf region, declaring the Kingdom as Washington’s “strongest partner.”
The arms deal includes advanced defense systems, missiles, and aircraft and is aimed at strengthening Saudi military capabilities amid regional tensions.
It was announced during the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the overall scope of economic cooperation could reach $1 trillion in the coming years.
“This partnership is more powerful than ever before,” President Trump said, highlighting the deal as a cornerstone of his administration’s foreign policy agenda.
“From the moment we started, we’ve seen wealth that has poured – and is pouring – into America”, he said.
The agreement marks a key moment in Trump’s second-term strategy to boost American defense exports and attract foreign capital.
The President was joined by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other top business figures during a ceremonial luncheon celebrating the deal.
Trump also announced that the United States would lift sanctions on Syria, saying the move would “give them a chance at greatness” and expressing hope that reengagement would contribute to regional stability.
Though economic diplomacy was the focal point of his remarks, Trump briefly addressed the war in Gaza, stating that civilians “deserve a better future,” while criticizing Hamas for choosing “to kidnap, torture and target for political ends.”
He also reiterated his ambition to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, a normalization agreement with Israel brokered during his first term.
The Gulf tour, which will include upcoming stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, underscores Trump’s efforts to revive strong regional alliances and secure long-term investments.
The UAE has already pledged $1.4 trillion in US-bound investments over the next decade.
The warm reception in Riyadh stands in contrast to the tense ties between Saudi Arabia and President Joe Biden’s administration during the previous term, when Biden vowed to make the Kingdom a “pariah” after the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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