Washington, 19 November (Udaipur Kiran). The United States has designated Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Donald Trump announced the decision during a state dinner hosted at the White House on Tuesday in honour of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “I am pleased to announce that we are formally designating Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally, taking our military cooperation to even greater heights,” Trump said.
According to a CNN report, Trump added, “I wanted to keep this secret for a while, but I couldn’t hold it back.” The announcement highlights Washington’s efforts to deepen and formalise its military partnership with Riyadh. Earlier, Trump had said that Saudi Arabia would purchase the long-awaited F-35 fighter jets. The White House confirmed that Trump and the Crown Prince have finalised several historic agreements.
At the dinner, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was welcomed at the South Lawn entrance by President Trump, dressed in a black tuxedo, and First Lady Melania Trump, who wore an emerald green gown. A military band played ceremonial music during their arrival.
The event, held in the White House East Room, saw the presence of several prominent guests, including US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, Fox News host Bret Baier, Donald Trump Jr., FIFA President Gianni Infantino, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Apple CEO Tim Cook and US Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
