U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a welcoming ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025.
Provided by Bandar Al-Gharaud/Saud | via Reuters
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, and the leaders are expected to discuss deepening defense, trade and technology ties, as well as cooperation in the areas of artificial intelligence, security and nuclear energy.
The visit follows Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May, when Saudi Arabia made $600 billion in trade and investment commitments to the United States, and analysts say Trump is looking to solidify those commitments this week.
“The United States wants Saudi Arabia to buy more of its products and services and invest more in American companies, and Saudi Arabia wants greater access to American technology and innovation to support its ambitious Vision 2030 reforms,” Tim Cullen, visiting fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, said ahead of the conference.
Karen said the US-Saudi Investment Forum scheduled for November 19 will be an opportunity to conclude further economic agreements between the two countries, noting that Saudi Arabia wants a two-way relationship with the US on investments.
“There is little doubt that Saudi investment and purchases of U.S. products will increase. However, given the improving Saudi investment climate, U.S. investment in Saudi Arabia could see the strongest growth in the coming years,” Karen said. “The opportunities presented by Vision 2030 and the availability of reliable, low-cost energy and abundant land to help U.S. high-tech companies expand their AI and related activities.”
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This is the first visit by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler to the United States since 2018, when Saudi agents killed Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist and prominent critic of the Saudi regime, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, denied ordering the killing, but a U.S. intelligence report concluded that the crown prince approved the operation.
Protests in Washington over the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on October 10, 2018.
Umar Farooq | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Saudi Arabia has been working to repair its global image since the scandal surrounding the killings sparked criticism of its record on gender equality and human rights in general. This has primarily been achieved by seeking to broker a Middle East peace deal and by promoting large-scale sporting events such as the 2034 Men’s Soccer World Cup.
Seeing its regional rival Iran significantly weakened as a result of joint attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, Saudi Arabia has seen its pre-eminence increase, positioning itself as a key strategic ally of the United States in the region.
