US Clears $24.3B F-35 Jet Sale to Saudi Arabia

Will this strengthen a vital Gulf ally or hand China the keys to America's stealth secrets?

3 days ago·Updated 1 day ago

US Clears $24.3B F-35 Jet Sale to Saudi Arabia

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Above: A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II at the Air Show del Garda in Italy, on Sept. 4. Image credit: Richard Morgano/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia strengthens a major non-NATO ally that has anchored Gulf stability for decades. Better Saudi homeland defense and tighter interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces directly serve American security interests, while leaving the regional military balance intact. Deepening this partnership is exactly what smart defense cooperation looks like.

Donald Trump on U.S. State Department Liz Webster

Government-critical narrative

Handing over the crown jewels of American military technology to a kingdom with deep military and telecom ties to Beijing is reckless, especially as the intelligence community sounds the alarm. China has spent decades stealing U.S. technology to close the military gap, and the F-35's radar and surveillance systems would be extremely valuable to these efforts. This is a highly irresponsible deal.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's Office Liz Webster