Mohammed bin Salman's Visit to the USA

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia was received with pomp.

The Crown Prince (and de facto ruler) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, arrived in Washington on a visit that was formally described as a working one, but was practically designed as a state visit. The prince was greeted with great pomp, including an air escort, an honor guard, and a particularly warm welcome at the White House. This is bin Salman’s first visit to the US since the scandal erupted in 2018 over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, an opposition journalist killed by Saudi intelligence in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.

On the eve of the visit, Donald Trump, answering questions from reporters, said the following: “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman you’re talking about. Whether you liked him or didn’t like him, things happen.” By “things happen,” he apparently meant assassination. In 2018, Mohammed bin Salman denied personally ordering the assassination of the disgraced journalist or knowing about the planned murder. However, he apologized at the time as the country’s leader.

When discussing the status of a major US ally outside NATO, three countries are usually mentioned: South Korea, Georgia, and Afghanistan. The US has no formal obligation to such allies to come to their aid in the event of an attack, but it simplifies all procedures for providing them with military-technical assistance and arms sales. In addition to facilitating arms supplies, the agreement will open Saudi Arabia up as a storage location for US weapons and give the country the right to bid on Pentagon contracts for equipment maintenance and repair, as well as the opportunity to purchase depleted uranium ammunition.

Donald Trump announced at a dinner at the White House in honor of his guest, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now a major US ally outside NATO.

The Crown Prince responded by stating that Saudi Arabia intends to increase its investment in the United States from $600 billion (as promised during Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May 2025) to $1 trillion. The specific investment was not specified, but “artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and nuclear energy” were mentioned.

Curiously, agreements between Saudi energy company Aramco and its American partners for LNG supplies and the construction of liquefied natural gas facilities in Saudi Arabia were not signed during the visit.