WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on November 18, in a high-stakes diplomatic visit aimed at strengthening defense, economic, and technological ties between Washington and Riyadh.
The meeting will mark their first encounter in the U.S. since Trump’s return to office in January and the Crown Prince’s first Washington visit since 2018. The White House has yet to officially confirm the date, though reports suggest preparations are underway for a series of strategic discussions.
Sources indicate that a formal U.S.–Saudi security pact—similar to the defense agreement between the U.S. and Qatar—will be a central topic. The talks come amid heightened regional tensions following Israel’s airstrike in Qatar last month that killed senior Hamas figures and a Qatari security officer, drawing widespread condemnation.
In response, Trump issued an executive order pledging U.S. military protection for Qatar, underscoring his administration’s renewed focus on Gulf security. The upcoming summit is expected to reassure other regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, of America’s continued commitment to stability in the Middle East.
Diplomatic observers say the visit could also serve as a step toward reviving Saudi–Israeli normalization talks, stalled over Riyadh’s insistence on concrete progress toward Palestinian statehood and assurances against Israeli annexation of the West Bank. “A Saudi–Israeli accord would represent the biggest geopolitical breakthrough since the Abraham Accords,” one analyst noted, referring to the U.S.-brokered deals during Trump’s first term.
In addition to security cooperation, the two leaders are expected to unveil expanded partnerships in artificial intelligence, energy, and infrastructure. Saudi Arabia is reportedly weighing new investments in U.S. technology and manufacturing, while encouraging American companies to establish AI research hubs in the kingdom. Nuclear energy cooperation—focused on civilian applications and technical collaboration—may also be discussed.
The visit underscores a rapidly evolving U.S.–Saudi relationship shaped by mutual economic interests, shared security goals, and the race for technological dominance in the Middle East.