Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince in Washington Return/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman returned to Washington for the first time since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, receiving a warm welcome from President Donald Trump. The visit signals renewed cooperation, with major business deals and defense agreements announced. Human rights groups urge U.S. pressure on Saudi reforms.
Saudi-US Relations Quick Looks
- Crown Prince Mohammed visits White House for first time since Khashoggi killing
- Trump greets prince with military honors, Oval Office meeting, and dinner
- Leaders announce new arms sales, investment partnerships, and AI initiatives
- Trump approves F-35 sale to Saudis despite past internal resistance
- Visit includes high-level business summit with U.S. CEOs
- Saudi-Israel normalization discussed but tied to Palestinian statehood progress
- Human rights groups call for stronger U.S. pressure on Saudi Arabia
- Saudi investment planned in AI, nuclear energy, and tech sectors
- Trump family deepening business ties with Saudi developers
- Prince seeks to reshape global image, expand economic diversification
Deep Look
Saudi Crown Prince Gets Red Carpet Treatment from Trump, Signals Renewed U.S. Partnership
WASHINGTON — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was welcomed to the White House on Tuesday with ceremonial fanfare and a warm handshake from President Donald Trump, marking the crown prince’s return to Washington after years of international criticism following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The high-profile visit, filled with symbolism and strategic intent, was the prince’s first since U.S. intelligence agencies determined he was likely behind the operation that killed Khashoggi, a Virginia resident and columnist for The Washington Post. While the killing once strained Saudi-U.S. relations, the crown prince’s return highlights a diplomatic reset and a renewed push for long-term partnerships.
Trump, hosting the 40-year-old de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, described the kingdom as a “great ally” and emphasized the importance of U.S.-Saudi ties in securing Middle East peace, energy cooperation, and economic development.
The visit was far from low-key. Prince Mohammed was greeted on the South Lawn of the White House with a military flyover and a performance from the U.S. Marine Band, a level of ceremony typically reserved for heads of state. He met with Trump in the Oval Office, attended a Cabinet Room luncheon, and will be honored at an East Room dinner hosted by First Lady Melania Trump.
Though officially not a state visit—since King Salman remains the formal head of state—Prince Mohammed has effectively led the kingdom’s day-to-day governance, especially as the 89-year-old king deals with health challenges.
Strategic Deals and Shared Interests
Trump used the occasion to announce a major new arms deal: the sale of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The move surprised some within the administration who had voiced concerns about sharing advanced military technology, especially with growing Chinese influence in the region and the potential to upset Israel’s military advantage.
Still, Trump is focused on leveraging the arms deal and broader cooperation to push Saudi Arabia toward normalization with Israel. While the prince has expressed openness to closer ties, he insists that movement toward Palestinian statehood must come first—a sticking point in Trump’s Middle East strategy.
This approach aligns with Trump’s push to expand the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations during his first term. Trump believes Saudi involvement would trigger a domino effect throughout the Arab world, strengthening regional peace and security.
The crown prince is also expected to announce a multibillion-dollar investment in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure and deeper cooperation in civil nuclear energy—areas where Saudi Arabia is aggressively diversifying its economy beyond oil.
Additionally, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting a high-level investment summit at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, featuring CEOs from Salesforce, Pfizer, Chevron, Qualcomm, and Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned energy giant.
Business and Political Ties
The Trump family continues to expand its business interests in the kingdom. Real estate developer Dar Global recently revealed plans to launch Trump Plaza in the Red Sea city of Jeddah—the second Trump Organization venture in Saudi Arabia following the announcement of Trump Tower Jeddah last year. These deals, though managed by Trump’s children, underscore the tight personal and financial ties between the former president and the Saudi leadership.
While the event is focused on future business and strategic alignment, the shadow of Khashoggi’s murder remains. Human rights organizations have criticized the U.S. for failing to hold Saudi Arabia accountable, and they are using the visit to renew calls for reform.
A coalition of 11 human rights groups urged the Trump administration to press the Saudis for commitments on freedom of the press and civil rights. They cite an increase in executions and harsh crackdowns on dissent, warning that the prince’s international rebranding campaign is masking continued domestic repression.
“Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is trying to rebrand himself as a global statesman,” said Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “But the reality at home is mass repression, record numbers of executions, and zero tolerance for dissent. U.S. officials should be pressing for change, not posing for photos.”
Rebuilding His Image
For Prince Mohammed, the visit is an opportunity to reassert himself as a key player on the world stage. Since Khashoggi’s death, he has largely avoided visits to Western capitals, focusing instead on expanding regional influence and building Saudi Arabia into a global business hub through his Vision 2030 initiative.
That plan includes massive investments in mining, technology, tourism, and AI. It’s an ambitious transformation designed to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil and build long-term economic sustainability.
Yet questions remain about how far the U.S. is willing to go in supporting that vision without more significant human rights reforms. Trump, who has prioritized strategic and business relationships over public criticism of allies, is betting that long-term cooperation with Riyadh is worth overlooking past tensions.
The two leaders are expected to also discuss the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, Saudi concerns about Iran, and the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Saudi Arabia is seeking greater clarity on the scope of U.S. military protection—a point that would require congressional approval to carry long-term weight.
For now, however, the focus remains on projecting unity and forward momentum, as both Trump and Prince Mohammed look to shape the next chapter of U.S.-Saudi relations.
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