US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, as he hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a gala dinner at the White House.
"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," Trump said.
Read | Angry Trump Snubs Reporter, Defends Saudi Prince Over Khashoggi Murder
"And I'm just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight," Trump said of the designation, which only 19 other countries have previously received.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
