WASHINGTON : US President Donald Trump has welcomed the recently signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, calling it a “big, bold and important first step” toward regional unity and effective self-defense.
In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump expressed his approval of the trilateral pact. “I am very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have finally signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” he said. “This is a manifestation of the fact that the Middle East is uniting and countries will finally be able to defend themselves more effectively.”
The US President extended his congratulations to the leadership of the three nations, praising the agreement as a significant milestone .
The joint defense agreement was signed in Mecca on August 7 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan . The pact stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three signatories will be considered an attack on all, echoing the collective defense clause of NATO’s Article 5 .
Analysts view the agreement as a response to growing doubts among regional nations about the reliability of US security commitments, particularly following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026 . The conflict and subsequent Iranian retaliation, which reportedly impacted Saudi assets, have prompted regional powers to seek greater security autonomy and diversify their defense partnerships .
While the pact is defensive in nature and does not target any specific country, the Pakistani Foreign Office has hinted at its potential expansion, stating that the agreement is not limited to just the three countries in terms of peace and security . Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has confirmed that several nations, including Egypt, have shown interest in joining .
