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US President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto leader, to the White House today in a visit that is considered one of the most important of this term. The agenda is loaded: a new defense pact, major investments in artificial intelligence and talks on the war in Gaza.
The visit comes just days after Trump announced that the US would sell Saudi Arabia the world's most advanced fighter jets, the F-35, a decision that has caused strong concerns in the Pentagon, Congress and Israel.
US officials fear that Riyadh could share sensitive technology with China as the two countries strengthen strategic cooperation.
Israel fears that Saudi Arabia could undermine the "qualitative military advantage" that Washington has guaranteed it for decades.
Trump, however, remains adamant: " We will sell the F-35. The Saudis have been great allies ," he declared on Monday.
In addition to the aircraft, a new US-Saudi Arabia defense pact is also expected to be signed, which will formalize military cooperation at a time when regional tensions are rising every day.
AI, investments and $600 billion at stake
In May, during Trump’s visit to Riyadh, the two leaders signed investment deals that the White House estimated at around $600 billion. Now, the cooperation is expanding into the artificial intelligence sector, where Saudi Arabia aims to become a global technology hub — an ambition heavily supported by investments from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.
The discussions about AI are a clear signal that the United States seeks to shrink China's technological influence in the Persian Gulf.
Extraordinary ceremony for a "working visit"
Although the meeting is technically categorized as a working visit, today's protocol has the flavor of a state ceremony:
Saudi Arabian flags are placed along Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park.
The US military has prepared a ceremonial ball reception on the South Lawn — a rare honor for foreign leaders.
The meeting in the Oval Office at 11:45 a.m. (16:45 GMT) will be open to the media, while the evening will conclude with a gala dinner in the East Room.
This is bin Salman's first visit to the White House since 2018, the year of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, an incident that deepened divisions between the two countries. Trump has called the case "the worst cover-up in history," while US intelligence suggests the prince approved the operation. MBS has repeatedly denied it.
The war in Gaza is a key part of the discussions. Saudi Arabia is seeking a greater role in regional negotiations for normalization, while the US aims to maintain its influence in the Middle East amid pressure from Iran and the growing role of China.
A curious detail that is making the rounds in the media: Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Al-Nassr and the biggest star of the “Saudization” of football, is at the White House today. It is not known whether he is an official part of the delegation, but his presence gives the event another dimension of Saudi soft power.
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