This has now become a habit: the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Mohammed Ben Salman gave rise to a wave of announcements and agreements between the two great countries, with the American president as usual having very close diplomatic relations with the business world.
Donald Trump started by welcoming his country’s special relationship with the Saudi petromonarchy, before elevating it to the status of “major non-NATO ally”. This official designation from the American government indicates close military cooperation between the two countries, but without guarantees of defense in the event of specific aggression for all NATO members. Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and even Israel also fall into this category. Arms transfers between the two countries will now be facilitated, Saudi Arabia will be able to stockpile American weapons, win contracts with the Pentagon, and purchase depleted uranium ammunition.
