Readout of Secretary Hegseth's Meeting With Saudi Minister of Defense, His Royal Highness

Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot provided the following readout:
     
On Feb. 24, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth received the Saudi Minister of Defense, His Royal Highness (HRH) Khalid bin Salman at the Pentagon, where he reaffirmed the critical defense partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The leaders committed to deepening and broadening that relationship, consistent with both countries’ interests, as an anchor for shared security and prosperity. The Secretary welcomed the Minister’s perspective on a range of bilateral, regional, and global priorities, and confirmed President Trump’s commitment to prevent Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon and to work with partners in eliminating Houthi capabilities that threaten regional security and commerce. Furthermore, Secretary Hegseth underscored the criticality of sustaining bilateral interoperability between U.S. and Saudi forces as an investment in regional security and stability. They agreed to stay in close contact, with Secretary Hegseth accepting HRH’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia in the near future.