Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled for an official working visit to the White House on November 18 to meet with United States President Donald Trump.
The meeting takes place amid intense lobbying by President Trump for Saudi Arabia to join the growing list of nations signing the Abraham Accords. These historic 2020 agreements saw Israel normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
While the Saudis have demonstrated reluctance, citing the necessity of meaningful steps toward Palestinian statehood, President Trump remains highly optimistic. He has repeatedly stated his confidence that the kingdom will ultimately join the pact and has emphasized the importance of expanding the Accords throughout the Middle East.
Security matters are also high on the agenda, potentially including discussions about a comprehensive US-Saudi defense agreement. There are ongoing high-level negotiations, with hopes of finalizing an agreement during the Crown Prince’s visit, although officials confirm the specific details are still being determined.
The Saudis are actively seeking formal security guarantees from the US, along with enhanced access to advanced American military technology. This objective reinforces the foundational, decades-long relationship between the two nations: security provided by Washington in exchange for oil from the kingdom. Saudi Arabia stands as one of the largest global purchasers of US weaponry.
During the President’s previous visit to Riyadh in May, the US agreed to a massive arms package for Saudi Arabia valued at nearly $142 billion. Additionally, the Crown Prince pledged $600 billion in investment—a figure President Trump famously quipped should be increased to $1 trillion.
