RadarOnline.com reports that Donald Trump is under increasing scrutiny from intelligence officials over his plans to sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. This decision has sparked concerns that it could potentially expose some of the United States’ most secure military technology to China.
The deal, reportedly involving up to 48 stealth aircraft and valued at billions, is in negotiations between Washington and Riyadh. This comes ahead of a scheduled meeting at the White House between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The sale has cleared significant Department of Defense hurdles and is currently under the review of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
This move arises as Saudi Arabia seeks stronger security assurances from the U.S. amid rising regional tensions, while Trump encourages Riyadh to normalize relations with Israel.
According to officials briefed on recent intelligence assessments, the deal presents notable risks.
One U.S. intelligence source stated: “The concern is not just the transfer itself, but the environment these systems would operate in. Saudi Arabia has overlapping security relationships that could create exposure points for sensitive technology. This F-35 deal could essentially represent Trump handing out U.S. secrets in exchange for billions of dollars.”
Additionally, a Pentagon official remarked: “The F-35 is built around highly classified systems – once that ecosystem is compromised, it is extremely difficult to contain.”
The F-35 is considered the most advanced multirole combat aircraft in the U.S. arsenal, featuring stealth capabilities, sensor fusion, and encrypted communications to provide pilots with a significant advantage.
Experts caution that even limited access to its systems could enable adversaries to reverse-engineer critical components or develop countermeasures.
A defense source involved in the discussions commented: “This is not just another arms sale – it is a potential transfer of technological advantage. If adversaries gain insight into how the aircraft operates, it could erode years of strategic superiority. It is frankly, idiotic.”
Part of the concern is focused on China’s expanding ties with Saudi Arabia, including cooperation on security and infrastructure projects.
Officials fear that Chinese intelligence services could exploit these connections to gather information on the aircraft’s design and operational capabilities.
Although there is no suggestion that Riyadh would intentionally hand over U.S. technology, intelligence officials have warned that vulnerabilities could emerge through indirect channels.
The proposed agreement is also linked to broader diplomatic efforts in the region. Saudi Arabia has been seeking a formal U.S. security commitment similar to the existing arrangement with Qatar, where Washington would treat an attack on the Gulf state as a threat to the United States.
Israel, currently the only Middle Eastern operator of the F-35, has historically opposed such sales to regional neighbors due to concerns about maintaining its qualitative military edge.
U.S. law requires Washington to preserve that advantage when approving arms deals, adding further political and strategic challenges for the administration.
A congressional aide familiar with the review process indicated that lawmakers are increasingly uneasy about the proposal.
They expressed: “There is a real fear on Capitol Hill that this could set a precedent. Once you open the door to transferring this level of capability, you cannot fully control how it is used or who ultimately learns from it.”
These concerns arise as a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet recently made an emergency landing at a base in the Middle East following a combat mission over Iran.
A military official confirmed the incident on Thursday, March 19.
Cpt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, stated: “We are aware of reports that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional US airbase after flying a combat mission over Iran.”
He continued: “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation.”
Reports suggest the F-35 was struck by what appeared to be Iranian fire.
This would mark the first instance of Iran successfully hitting a U.S. aircraft with surface-to-air munitions.
