President Trump Designates Saudi Arabia as Major Non-NATO Ally, Hosts Royal Dinner at White House

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has officially designated Saudi Arabia as a **Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)**, marking a significant boost to strategic ties between the two nations. The announcement came during a grand dinner hosted at the White House in honor of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The event was attended by prominent global figures, including Elon Musk and football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

While addressing the guests, President Trump warmly welcomed the Crown Prince, stating that the United States and Saudi Arabia share “historic and longstanding relations” and that both countries are committed to further strengthening their strategic partnership.

The U.S. President confirmed that a **strategic defense agreement** has been signed with Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that the two nations are moving closer to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. He added that Gaza is now “far more secure than before” and highlighted the upcoming *Gaza Board of Peace*, which will include participation from several world leaders.

President Trump also disclosed that additional bodies of hostages killed by Hamas have been handed over to their Israeli families.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed gratitude to President Trump for the warm hospitality and reaffirmed the “excellent relations” between Riyadh and Washington.

The Saudi Crown Prince is currently on an official visit to the U.S., where he earlier held a meeting with President Trump at the White House. Following the meeting, the White House issued a statement confirming that the two countries had reached an agreement on a **civil nuclear cooperation framework**.

The statement further noted that President Trump has approved a **major defense package** for Saudi Arabia, which includes the provision of **F-35 fighter jets** and the purchase of nearly **300 American tanks**, significantly expanding defense cooperation between the two nations.