WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US will formally designate Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, marking a significant elevation in defense ties between the two countries.

He revealed the decision during a black-tie White House dinner honoring Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally — something that’s very important to them,” Trump said. “And I’m telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight.”

The new status paves the way for deeper military cooperation and carries strong symbolic weight, with Trump saying it will advance US-Saudi defense coordination “to even greater heights.”

The crown prince thanked Trump for a “warm and great welcome,” adding: “We feel home.” He referenced the historic foundations of the US-Saudi relationship, noting that the partnership dates back nearly nine decades to the meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

He also pointed to upcoming milestones for both nations, the US approaching its 250th anniversary and Saudi Arabia nearing its 300th, saying these celebrations underscore the long arc of shared cooperation.

Reviewing the history of the alliance, the crown prince highlighted joint efforts across the Second World War, the Cold War, and the long fight against extremism and terrorism.

Yet he stressed that today marks a new phase in bilateral cooperation, with economic ties expanding across unprecedented sectors. “Today is a special day,” the crown prince said. “We think the horizon of economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and America is bigger and wider in many areas.

“We’ve been signing a lot of agreements that can open the door to develop the relationship deeper in many areas, and we’re going to work on it.” He added: “We believe the opportunities are huge, so we have to focus on implementation and keep increasing the opportunities between our two countries.”

Trump repeatedly expressed appreciation for the crown prince’s partnership and leadership, highlighting major agreements signed during the visit, including on civil nuclear energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence, describing the scale of investment as unprecedented. Trump emphasized that Saudi Arabia is undertaking a major expansion of its defense capabilities, referencing the Kingdom’s plans for nearly $142 billion in purchases of US military equipment and services, which he called “the largest arms purchase in history.”

He framed the acquisition as part of a broader strategy to enhance Middle East security and reinforce the Kingdom’s role as a stabilizing force. In addition to the major non-NATO ally designation, Trump announced that the US and Saudi Arabia had signed a historic strategic defense agreement that would create “a stronger and more capable alliance” and support what he called the closest the Middle East has ever come to “truly everlasting peace.”

Trump thanked the crown prince “for all the help” in shaping what he described as a historic moment for regional peace and US-Saudi cooperation, and for playing a central role in recent diplomatic breakthroughs, including steps that contributed to ending the war in Gaza. “Even the great experts … are calling it a miracle,” he said of recent regional shifts. Both leaders framed the moment as the beginning of a new chapter.