U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has congratulated Boeing and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's agreement to purchase Boeing aircraft, calling it "one of the largest commercial agreements in the history of the U.S.-Saudi partnership."

"Today’s announcement will deliver world-class passenger aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and power economic growth and job creation in both countries," Raimondo said in the March 14 announcement of Riyadh Air and Saudia Arabia's decision to buy (78) 787 Boeing aircraft with options for 43 more.

“This is a clear win for American manufacturers and workers, supporting more than 140,000 jobs at over 300 Boeing suppliers across 38 states," Raimondo said in the announcement. "Moreover, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has selected GE Aerospace’s GEnx engine to power the aircraft, providing billions more in U.S. exports and supporting good-paying American jobs."

The United States is experiencing a manufacturing renaissance under the Biden administration, according to Raimondo, and agreements such as the one between Boeing and Saudi Arabia illustrate the U.S.'s strength "in a globally competitive landscape."

This purchase agreement along with last month’s deal with Air India has resulted in Boeing closing two of its largest commercial transactions in the history of the company in just a few weeks, according to the release. Raimondo said the Commerce Department takes pride in supporting these landmark deals and is proud that American companies anchored Saudi Arabia’s new flagship international airline with its new international airport.

“In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt provided King Abdulaziz al Saud with Saudi Arabia’s first airplane, a DC-3 Dakota," she said in the announcement. Today’s announcement is a fitting tribute to an economic partnership between our two countries now in its eighth decade."