EXPLAINER – Major non-NATO allies: Who are they and what does the status mean?

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) – Framed by gold-plated candelabra and chandeliers in the East Room of the White House, US President Donald Trump stepped onto the stage at a black-tie gala and told an audience that included footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, billionaire Elon Musk, and Apple CEO Tim Cook that Washington would designate Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally (MNNA).

“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. “I’m just telling you now for the first time, because I wanted to keep a little secret for tonight.”

The moment capped a day of high-profile announcements, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pledge to increase Saudi investments in the US from roughly $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion.

Saudi Arabia has long been a central US partner in the Middle East, bound by decades of energy, counterterrorism and defense cooperation. While the relationship has often been strained by disagreements, Trump has made cultivating Riyadh a priority, and earlier in the day shrugged off questions surrounding long-standing points of tension.

Now, as Washington prepares to add Saudi Arabia to the select list of major non-NATO allies, questions are resurfacing over what the designation actually offers.

- What is a major non-NATO ally?

A major non-NATO ally is a US designation for countries that enjoy close military, trade and security ties with Washington despite not being members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The US State Department defines the status as “a powerful symbol of the close relationship the United States shares with those countries” and a reflection of “deep respect” for the partnership.

Major non-NATO allies receive defense trade and security cooperation benefits, including access to joint research and development programs with the Pentagon and privileged access to US weaponry, training and loans.

While the status provides certain military and economic privileges, it does not entail any US security commitments.

The designation is based on two separate US laws. One, known as the Nunn Amendment, allows the Pentagon to include selected countries in cooperative defense research and development. The other, Section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act, provides additional benefits such as access to certain US arms and training programs and outlines the process for notifying Congress.

- Who are the major non-NATO allies?

Saudi Arabia will join 19 countries that are currently designated as major non-NATO allies: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.

Taiwan is also treated as a major non-NATO ally, although it has not received a formal designation.

Israel, Egypt, Japan, Australia and South Korea were the first countries granted the status after the Nunn Amendment was enacted in 1987.

The Bill Clinton administration later added New Zealand, Jordan and Argentina in 1996 and 1998.

After the Sept. 11 attacks and during the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, President George W. Bush designated Bahrain, the Philippines, Thailand, Kuwait, Morocco and Pakistan. Taiwan also received de facto status during this period.

President Barack Obama added Afghanistan in 2012 and Tunisia in 2015, but Afghanistan’s status was revoked after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Trump added Brazil in 2019, while his predecessor, Joe Biden, added Colombia and Qatar in 2022.

In 2024, President Biden also made Kenya the first Sub-Saharan African major non-NATO ally.

In August 2025, however, the US Senate ordered a sweeping review of Kenya’s MNNA status, which is expected to be completed by next spring.

- What rights do major non-NATO allies have?

This status provides a range of military, economic and security privileges.

Under US law, major non-NATO allies are eligible to receive loans of US military equipment and supplies for joint research, testing and evaluation.

They may host US war reserve stockpiles on their territory, enter bilateral or multilateral training agreements, and receive priority access to excess defense articles that the US military no longer needs.

They may purchase depleted-uranium ammunition and sign agreements with the US Defense Department for cooperative research and development on defense equipment and munitions.

Companies based in these nations can bid on overseas Pentagon maintenance and repair contracts, and their governments can access US funding for counterterrorism research and development, including explosives-detection technologies.

- What do major non-NATO allies not get?

The designation stops short of a formal alliance and does not obligate the US to defend a designated country if it comes under attack.

It does not include any security guarantees or the mutual-defense commitments enjoyed by NATO members.

Some major non-NATO allies, however, have separate bilateral defense treaties with the US that do include defense obligations. These include Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines.

The White House said Trump and the Saudi crown prince also signed a strategic defense agreement, but it remains unclear whether its deterrence provisions include any US commitment to defend Saudi Arabia in the event of an attack.