Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will receive a lavish welcome from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, signing defense and nuclear deals during his first visit to the United States since 2018.
Trump is expected to roll out the red carpet for the prince, with artillery salutes and American and Saudi flags draped over buildings. The US military will organize a flyover of the White House during MBS's arrival.
A formal dinner will also be held in honor of Mr. bin Salman. According to a person close to the organization interviewed by CBS, 120 guests are expected, including 30 members of the Saudi delegation. Although it is not a state dinner, it is the first official dinner hosted by Mr. Trump during his second term in honor of a head of state—giving the Saudi the equivalent, even though he is not a head of state and is only the kingdom's de facto ruler.
Trump has made a priority of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom and said on Monday he would sell coveted F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from Israel.
In another area of past contention, he will sign a deal on a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation, a source familiar with the negotiations said.
Trump will also push Prince Mohammed to normalize relations with Israel as he seeks a wider Middle East peace deal after the war in Gaza.
"We're more than meeting," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday when asked about the visit. "We're honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince."
The Saudi heir to the throne is looking forward to a fresh start on his first US trip since the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents sparked global outrage.
The killing also chilled relations with Washington, as US intelligence suggested that Prince Mohammed approved the operation inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, an allegation that Saudi authorities deny.
The 40-year-old prince has fostered close ties with Trump and his family over the years—a relationship burnished by a lavish welcome and $600 billion in investment pledges when the president visited Saudi Arabia in May.
Security Guarantees & Investments
Prince Mohammed will have his own agenda, seeking firmer US security guarantees after Israeli strikes in September on Qatar, an iron-clad US ally, rattled the wealthy Gulf region.
Along with the F-35 jets, Riyadh is seeking to buy advanced air and missile defense systems.
It will also push hard for access to the high-tech chips it needs to fuel its AI ambitions, experts said.
Trump is also expected to attend a US-Saudi investment forum spotlighting energy and artificial intelligence taking place in Washington on Wednesday.
The Republican president's family also has extensive business ties with the Saudis.
The day before the prince's visit, Saudi developer Dar Global announced a new partnership with the Trump Organization to build a luxury hotel in the Maldives.
Investors will be able to participate in its financing through digital tokens.
Diplomacy
But Saudi Arabia is unlikely to agree to normalization with Israel at this stage, despite Trump's aim for the grand prize of Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords that he launched in his first term.
"We have a lot of people joining the Abraham Accords, and hopefully we are going to get Saudi Arabia very soon," Trump said earlier this month.
Potential Saudi moves towards normalization in return for security and energy guarantees were put on hold after the outbreak of Israel's devastating war in Gaza in October 2023.
Riyadh appears in no mood to budge without any progress on its international push for a Palestinian state.
Prince Mohammed also plans to urge Donald Trump to intervene personally to help resolve the war in Sudan during their meeting on Tuesday in Washington, according to Reuters, which gathered comments from five people close to the discussions.
The sources, two Arab diplomats and three Western diplomats, said the Saudi crown prince believes Trump's direct involvement is essential to breaking the deadlock in efforts to end the war, citing his plan for Gaza as an example.
Despite that, Trump will look to underscore the "bromance" with Prince Mohammed that both leaders have been keen to show off since the president's return to office.
By Danny KEMP / AFP
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