Trump backs Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan joint defence pact

US President Donald Trump endorsed the newly formed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan on Monday, 17 August, calling the tripartite pact a "big, bold, and important first step" for Middle East stability. The agreement, signed on 7 August in Mecca, establishes a collective defense framework among three of the region’s most significant military powers. NATO-style collective defense The pact was formalised by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Under the terms of the agreement, an armed attack against one signatory is considered an attack against all three, mirroring the collective-defense principle of NATO’s Article 5. The bloc unites Saudi Arabia’s financial and energy influence with Turkey’s advanced defense industry and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. The three nations intend to establish formal political and military coordination mechanisms. This includes deepening cooperation in defense manufacturing, sharing intelligence, and conducting joint military exercises. Turkish officials, according to Reuters, indicated that the alliance aims to streamline military deployments and establish clear command structures to respond to regional threats. Defensive nature and regional expansion Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that the agreement is "purely defensive" and does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral security arrangements. The…