- By Raju Kumar
- Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:01 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Trump-Mohammed bin Salman Meet: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, with both sides reaching agreements on key issues and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on nuclear energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI). The White House, in a statement, said Trump warmly received Prince Mohammed when he arrived at the White House for a pomp-filled arrival ceremony that included a military flyover and a thundering greeting from the US Marine band. Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed the crown prince for a black-tie dinner in the White House East Room.
Here Are The Key Highlights Of Saudi Crown Prince's US Visit
- The Saudi Crown Prince and Trump inked a US-Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement (SDA), with Trump approving the sale of F-35 jets and tanks. The crucial deal came with some concerns within the US administration that the sale could lead to China gaining access to the US technology behind the advanced weapon system.
- Trump's announcement on the fighter jets was surprising because some in the Republican administration have been wary about upsetting Israel's qualitative military edge over its neighbours, especially at a time when Trump is depending on Israeli support for the success of his Gaza peace plan.
- During their remarks, Prince Mohammed outlined plans to boost Saudi investment in the United States from a projected $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion. He framed the increase as a strategic commitment to US growth, pointing to expanding demand for computing power and advanced chips within the kingdom.
- Addressing questions about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump reiterated his view that the crown prince had no role in the incident. Prince Mohammed called the killing "painful" for Saudi Arabia and described it as a "huge mistake," adding that his government has strengthened procedures to prevent a repeat.
- The crown prince confirmed that Saudi Arabia is interested in joining the 'Abraham Accords' and establishing formal ties with Israel. He underscored, however, that Riyadh requires what it considers a "clear path toward a two-state solution" before advancing.
- Portugal's soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo attended a White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Echoing rhetoric that Trump likes to use, the crown prince used the moment to flatter the Republican leader by calling the US the “hottest country on the planet" for foreign investment.
- The visit comes at a moment when Trump is trying to nudge the Saudis toward normalising relations with Israel.
- The president in his first term had helped forge commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates through an effort dubbed the Abraham Accords.
- Trump sees expansion of the accords as essential to his broader efforts to build stability in the Middle East after the two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Getting Saudi Arabia — the largest Arab economy and the birthplace of Islam — to sign on would spur a domino effect.
(With agencies inputs)