Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has arrived in the United States for a three-day visit and is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (18 November). The information was confirmed in a Reuters report on Monday (17 November).
According to the report, U.S.–Saudi relations were severely strained following the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, for which suspicion had fallen on the Crown Prince. Nearly seven years after the incident, this marks his first visit to the United States.
White House sources said the meeting will emphasize discussions on trade, technology, and nuclear energy, with defense cooperation and artificial intelligence also high on the agenda.
The report further notes that the talks may include discussions on normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel under the framework of the Abraham Accords. However, Saudi Arabia has made its position clear: Riyadh will not enter any agreement with Israel without a commitment to a two-state solution.
Additionally, negotiations are expected to include Saudi Arabia’s interest in acquiring advanced U.S. fighter jets, notably Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Analysts believe this visit signals a potential elevation of U.S.–Saudi ties to a new strategic level.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump have shared warm relations for years. During Trump’s 2017 visit to Riyadh, large investment pledges and a royal welcome further solidified their ties. At a recent meeting with business leaders in Miami, Trump said that more countries are joining the Abraham Accords and expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would do so “very soon.”
However, following Hamas’s October 2023 attack and the subsequent Israel–Gaza war, Riyadh is currently unwilling to make any concessions.