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Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman at White House Amid Security, Investment Talks
Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, advancing $600B investments, F-35 sales, and civil nuclear talks, while pressing Saudi-Israel normalization.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-18
Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman at White House Amid Security, Investment Talks

Former U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday, in a show of pomp and ceremony marking the prince’s first visit in over seven years. The South Lawn greeting included a military honor guard, cannon salute, and flyover by U.S. warplanes.

The visit signals a further warming of ties between Washington and Riyadh, even as the international controversy over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has largely faded. U.S. intelligence concluded that bin Salman approved Khashoggi’s capture or killing, which the crown prince denies ordering, though he acknowledged responsibility as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler.

The two leaders are expected to discuss security cooperation, civil nuclear energy projects, and multibillion-dollar U.S. investments, building on the $600 billion pledged by Saudi Arabia during Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May. Defense deals—including a potential sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia—are also on the table, a move that would alter the military balance in the Middle East.

Trump also intends to press bin Salman on joining the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel, though Saudi Arabia has remained hesitant without progress toward Palestinian statehood. While Israeli-Saudi normalization remains uncertain, U.S.-Saudi security and economic deals are expected to move forward.

Analysts note that Trump’s strategy includes keeping Saudi Arabia aligned with the U.S. rather than in China’s sphere, leveraging security, finance, AI, and energy cooperation to deepen ties.

The visit included an Oval Office meeting, lunch in the Cabinet Room, and a formal black-tie dinner, giving it many of the trappings of a state visit, and underscoring Trump’s prioritization of the U.S.-Saudi relationship in his second term.
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SaudiArabia

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