President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, ahead of a White House meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“We will sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia. They are a great partner,” Trump said.

The talks are expected to focus on defence agreements and potential cooperation in civilian nuclear power.

The visit marks the crown prince’s first official trip to the United States since 2018, shortly before the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation, a claim the crown prince has repeatedly denied.

Relations between Washington and Riyadh were strained following Khashoggi’s killing, and his return to the White House signals a renewed engagement between the two countries.