US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Saudi Arabia will now be recognised as a major non-NATO ally while he hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.

He said, “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, which is something that is very important to them,” and added, “And I'm just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” according to news agency AFP.

The decision is a major step for defence ties between Washington and Riyadh and puts Saudi Arabia among a small group of countries that enjoy special security cooperation with the United States.

CBS News reported that this new status could help both nations work more closely on military projects and improve how their forces operate together. It is also seen as a strong signal of deepening strategic alignment, with President Trump saying it would take “our military cooperation to even greater heights.”

Saudi Arabia would join 20 other countries that currently hold major non-NATO ally status, including Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan.

This announcement comes soon after the United States signed a wide range of agreements with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence and defence, including the long-awaited sale of F-35 fighter jets on Tuesday.

In a statement, the White House said both sides had signed a Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation, setting the legal foundation for a “decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership built on strong non-proliferation standards.” The United States also approved a “major defence sale package” that includes future deliveries of advanced F-35 aircraft, despite long-standing concerns from Israel.

According to a White House fact sheet, these agreements will deepen the United States' Saudi strategic partnership, create more opportunities for American workers and strengthen security in the region.