President Donald Trump on August 16 praised a new mutual defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, calling it a “BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP” in a Truth Social post.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed on August 7 in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Under the pact, an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.
The agreement comes during the U.S.-Iran war, which began in February. Egypt has been mentioned as a possible future member.
The three countries scheduled the pact’s first committee meeting for August 31 in Istanbul.
Sources: Hürriyet Daily News, CNBC
Editor’s note: This article was updated on October 17, 2026 to correct factual errors, including officials’ titles and event details, and to add source links.
