On Nov. 18, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the U.S. for the first time since 2018, attending a high-profile reception and a black-tie dinner at the White House, USA Today reported.
During his visit, the crown prince received full ceremonial honors, including a military band, a red-carpet welcome and a fighter jet flyover. He met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, attended a luncheon and joined a formal dinner in the East Room. Notable guests included senior U.S. officials, business leaders like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Saudi Arabia.
Throughout these events, President Trump emphasized stronger economic and security ties between the two countries, as Saudi investment pledges to the U.S. had increased from $600 billion to $1 trillion. The two sides also signed agreements on civil nuclear cooperation and the sale of U.S. F-35 fighter jets.
Later, at the dinner, Trump announced that the U.S. would designate Saudi Arabia as a «major non-NATO ally,» which would expand defense and security cooperation. He called this a significant step in bilateral relations.
This visit represents an important moment in Saudi-U.S. diplomacy. Coming after U.S. intelligence agencies said the crown prince approved the operation that led to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing in 2018, it marks Mohammed bin Salman’s first trip to Washington since that event.
