Trump hosts Saudi crown prince at White House

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in a high-profile visit marked by ceremonial fanfare, bilateral talks, major deals and a formal black‑tie dinner. The crown prince’s first official White House appearance in over seven years featured an arrival ceremony, an Oval Office meeting, a Cabinet Room lunch and an evening state-style dinner attended by political and business figures, underlining a push to deepen U.S.–Saudi strategic and economic ties despite lingering controversy over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Officials said the visit produced agreements on defence sales, civil nuclear cooperation and substantial Saudi investment in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure. President Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s designation as a “major non‑NATO ally,” a status intended to streamline military cooperation and ease weapons transfers. Trump also indicated plans to approve a sale of F‑35 stealth fighters to Riyadh—a move that would be the first U.S. transfer of the jets to a Middle Eastern country other than Israel and could affect the regional military balance.

The meeting included public reassurances from Trump that the crown prince “knew nothing” about Khashoggi’s killing, a claim at odds with prior U.S. intelligence assessments and one that drew criticism from human‑rights advocates. Trump also addressed questions about potential conflicts involving the Trump Organization, saying he has stepped back from family business operations while noting past limited dealings with Saudi partners.

Guests at the formal dinner highlighted the visit’s blend of politics and commerce, with international sports and tech figures among attendees alongside senior U.S. officials. Trump lauded Saudi investments and quoted large pledged sums—saying prior commitments of hundreds of billions could rise toward a trillion dollars—while the crown prince framed the day as an opportunity to expand economic cooperation and accelerate implementation of new agreements.

The visit signals a significant warming of relations and a renewed strategic alignment between Washington and Riyadh, emphasizing defense collaboration, energy and technology investment. Nonetheless, it also reignites debate over arms sales, regional power dynamics, human‑rights accountability and the transparency of high‑level partnerships between the two countries.