Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington this week marked a major step in the expanding economic and political ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States. During a series of meetings and public appearances with President Donald Trump, the crown prince committed to raising planned Saudi investments in the U.S. economy from roughly $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion over the coming year. The pledge covers a wide range of sectors, including energy, technology, artificial intelligence, and rare earth minerals.
During their Oval Office meeting, President Trump praised the crown prince’s decision, emphasizing the potential for job creation and long-term economic growth. “That means investments in plants, in companies, money on Wall Street. And what it really means for everybody…is jobs,” Trump said. He added that the expanded commitment reflects Saudi Arabia’s view that the U.S. remains one of the strongest destinations for global investment.
Bin Salman confirmed that the $1 trillion target will be met, describing the plan as a broad effort to pursue “real investment and real opportunity.” The prince also said the U.S. is the “hottest country on the planet” for foreign capital, citing what he called America’s economic momentum.
The visit, filled with elaborate ceremony, featured military honors on the South Lawn, an honor guard on horseback, and a dramatic flyover by U.S. aircraft. Although the event was not an official state visit, it carried the sort of grandeur usually reserved for heads of state. Trump referred to the prince as a longtime friend and said the partnership between the two countries is entering a new phase.
Still, the meetings were not without controversy. Reporters asked bin Salman about the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose death the CIA assessed to have involved the crown prince’s approval. Bin Salman repeated his earlier stance that he had no direct knowledge of the operation but accepted responsibility because the act was carried out by members of the Saudi government. Trump, meanwhile, maintained that the issue should not overshadow broader cooperation, saying, “He knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that.”
The administration used the visit to advance additional policy goals, including an expanded defense partnership. Trump announced that the U.S. would designate Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally,” a status that opens the door to deeper military collaboration. The White House stated that the agreement will simplify operations for U.S. defense companies in the kingdom and secure additional Saudi funding for shared security efforts. Discussions also included the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a move that would mark a major shift in U.S. policy.
The leaders also touched on Middle East diplomacy, with Trump crediting Saudi Arabia for helping advance the recent peace plan involving Gaza. He claimed the region may be closer to long-term stability than many analysts believe.
A black-tie dinner at the White House capped the day’s events, attended by American business leaders including Elon Musk. Trump closed the evening by expressing confidence that the strengthened partnership would bring broad economic and strategic benefits to both nations.
Green = USA
Saudi Arabia = Blue
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license and was created using MapChart (https://mapchart.net).
