The United States has formally designated Saudi Arabia as a “Major Non-NATO Ally” (MNNA), an elevation that deepens military cooperation and security ties between Washington and Riyadh. The announcement was accompanied by the final approval of a deal to supply Saudi Arabia with advanced F-35 warplanes and other sophisticated military technology.
US President Donald Trump hailed the move, stating it raises military cooperation to “even greater heights” and strengthens the US presence in the Middle East. The MNNA status provides Saudi Arabia with preferential access to US military equipment and training, bypassing many of the restrictions placed on other non-treaty partners.
The decision comes amidst intense geopolitical realignments in the region and follows a series of high-level meetings. The move is viewed as a strategic counter-balance to the growing influence of China and Russia in the Middle East, though it has drawn criticism from human rights groups and some members of the US Congress over the Kingdom’s human rights record.
