The United States is preparing to offer Saudi Arabia a package of arms deals worth more than $100 billion, Reuters reported, citing six sources it described as "informed." According to the report, the offer is scheduled to be announced during US President Donald Trump's visit to Riyadh next May.

This package comes after the administration of former President Joe Biden failed to reach a defense agreement with Riyadh as part of a comprehensive deal that included a vision for normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Biden's proposal included obtaining more advanced American weapons in exchange for halting Chinese arms purchases and restricting Beijing's investments in Saudi Arabia. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration's proposal includes similar requirements.

The agency quoted a US Department of Defense official as saying, "Our defense relationship with Saudi Arabia is stronger than ever under Trump's leadership. Maintaining our security cooperation remains a critical component of this partnership, and we will continue to work with Saudi Arabia to meet its defense needs."

The report noted that during his first term, Trump had celebrated arms sales to Saudi Arabia as beneficial for creating more jobs for American citizens.

Two sources said that Lockheed Martin may supply Saudi Arabia with a range of advanced weapons systems, including C-130 transport aircraft. A source said that the police will also supply Saudi Arabia with missiles and radar equipment.

Four of the sources said RTX, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, is also expected to play a significant role in the package, which will include supplies from other major US defense companies such as Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics.

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said that foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions, and it is preferred that the U.S. government handle any inquiries regarding sales to foreign governments.

Reuters did not specify the number of new deals in the package. Two sources said many of these deals have been in the works for some time. They explained that, for example, Riyadh first requested information on General Atomics drones in 2018.

One of the sources noted that for the past 12 months, there has been a focus on a $20 billion deal to purchase General Atomics' MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and other aircraft. Three of the sources said that several defense executives are considering traveling to the region as part of the delegation.

The United States has long supplied weapons to Saudi Arabia. In 2017, Trump proposed arms sales to Saudi Arabia worth nearly $110 billion. By 2018, only $14.5 billion in sales had been initiated, and Congress began to question the deals in light of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In 2021, during the Biden presidency, a ban was imposed on sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in response to the Khashoggi murder and to pressure Saudi Arabia to end its war in Yemen, which had caused massive civilian casualties.

Under US law, major international arms deals must undergo review by congressional committees before they are finalized. The Biden administration began to soften its stance toward Saudi Arabia in 2022 following the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on global oil supplies.

The United States lifted its ban on offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in 2024, as Washington cooperated more closely with Riyadh, amid Israel's war of annihilation in the Gaza Strip, to develop a post-war plan for Gaza.

Three of the sources said that a potential deal to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets is expected to be discussed, as Riyadh has reportedly been interested in the aircraft for years. However, the sources believe the chances of an F-35 deal being signed during the visit are slim.

The United States guarantees that its close ally, Israel, will receive more advanced American weapons than those obtained by Arab states, giving it what is known as "qualitative military superiority," which Washington guarantees to Tel Aviv in the region.