Saudi Crown Prince Pledges $1 Trillion U.S. Investment/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ morning Edition/ Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to raise Saudi Arabia’s investment in the U.S. from $600 billion to $1 trillion during a high-profile White House visit. President Trump praised the crown prince and dismissed past controversies, focusing instead on economic partnerships and future cooperation. The announcement adds to Trump’s ambitious goal of securing $21 trillion in foreign investment commitments by year’s end.
Saudi Investment Surge Quick Looks
- Saudi Arabia raises U.S. investment pledge from $600B to $1T
- Announcement made during Crown Prince’s first White House visit since 2018
- Trump praises Crown Prince as longtime friend and key partner
- Investments include tech, energy, and defense sectors, including F-35 sales
- Trump showcases new White House portrait gallery, excluding Biden
- Crown Prince dismisses oil price concerns; focuses on tech alignment
- Trump claims $21T global investment goal amid economic criticism
- U.S.-Saudi relations rebound years after Khashoggi killing
- Trump defends Crown Prince over Khashoggi, calls media inquiry “fake news”
- White House ends day with formal dinner in Crown Prince’s honor
Saudi Crown Prince Pledges $1 Trillion U.S. Investment
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Tuesday that Saudi Arabia will increase its U.S. investment commitments to $1 trillion, a major financial declaration made during a closely watched visit to the White House. The new figure is a sharp rise from the previously pledged $600 billion.
The announcement came during the crown prince’s first official visit to the United States since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an event that severely strained U.S.-Saudi relations. Despite U.S. intelligence findings that implicated the prince, President Donald Trump has embraced the Saudi leader, calling him “a friend of mine for a very long time” and an essential partner in building Middle East stability.
When asked whether Saudi Arabia could sustain such a massive investment given low oil prices, Prince Mohammed said the deals, especially in semiconductors and emerging tech, align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify beyond oil.
Trump responded approvingly: “Good, I like that very much.”
A Broader Vision
The investment announcement supports Trump’s ongoing claim that his administration’s approach to diplomacy and trade — involving tariffs, direct deals, and personal relationships — will result in $21 trillion in global investment commitments by the end of the year. While the White House has yet to provide a full breakdown of how that total is calculated, officials say that deals like the one with Saudi Arabia prove the strategy is working.
Trump is also facing mounting public scrutiny over the economy, with voters voicing concerns about inflation and jobs. He’s positioning these investment announcements as a job-creation engine for American workers and a validation of his economic leadership.
A Warm Welcome
Crown Prince Mohammed received a warm welcome at the White House, including a ceremonial walk along the Colonnade, where Trump showcased his newly installed “Presidential Walk of Fame” — gold-framed portraits of every U.S. president except Joe Biden. In Biden’s place hung a photo of an autopen signing Trump’s name, which Trump proudly pointed out to the prince before entering the Oval Office.
Inside the White House, Trump praised both the crown prince and his father, King Salman. “We have an extremely respected man in the Oval Office today,” Trump said of Mohammed bin Salman.
Defense and Diplomacy
The visit also marked the unveiling of several high-value bilateral agreements, including a major defense deal to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The sale comes amid rising regional tensions and Trump’s push to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations.
Despite Saudi reluctance to recognize Israel without progress toward Palestinian statehood, Trump remains optimistic that Saudi Arabia’s inclusion will trigger a domino effect of broader regional peace.
Khashoggi Controversy Resurfaces
The specter of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder still looms over the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
When asked about the killing during a media session, Trump quickly dismissed the question, saying “Things happen,” and reiterated his belief that the crown prince “knew nothing about it.”
He further deflected criticism, suggesting Khashoggi “wasn’t well liked by a lot of people,” and lashed out at a reporter who asked about the journalist’s death, labeling her “fake news” and accusing her of trying to “embarrass our guest.”
End-of-Day Soirée
The visit concluded with a White House dinner in honor of Prince Mohammed, hosted by First Lady Melania Trump in the East Room. The event was intended to further solidify the renewed U.S.-Saudi relationship and underscore the administration’s confidence in the crown prince’s long-term vision.
Trump’s team has signaled that more Saudi investment announcements — including AI infrastructure projects and civil nuclear collaborations — may be revealed during the prince’s ongoing U.S. visit.
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